


Becoming Our Own

by Caera1996



Series: The Basics of Primary Ed. 'verse [22]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: AU, LAWG, M/M, TBoPE
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-01
Updated: 2015-09-25
Packaged: 2018-01-07 00:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 87,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1113386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caera1996/pseuds/Caera1996
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard, Jim, and Joanna have settled into the family they created. Changes and challenges are coming, though, for all of them. Moving, switching schools, issues with work, dealing with past issues that show up in the present, and an expanding extended family, are on the horizon. Through it all, as Jim and Leonard’s bond is tested, <i>family</i> is what holds them together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> A third anchor story (novel-length) in TBoPE/LAWG verse. Set five years after the end of Learning As We Go.

Leonard pulled into the apartment complex and stopped by the mailbox kiosk. Leaving the car running, he glanced up at the chilly gray sky as he stepped out into the light rainfall. He grimaced at the unseasonable cold, damp weather, and quickly checked the mailbox, taking a second to flip through the few envelopes that were there. He stopped at one from the complex’s management company, tucking the others under his arm so he could tear it open. Reading quickly, his brow drew together in annoyance, and he briefly debated dropping by the Leasing Office to speak to the property manager. A glance at his watch, though, told him he probably didn’t have the time this conversation would need.

And he wanted to talk to Jim, too. They’d been building up to something for a while. Maybe this was the sign they’d been waiting for.

Leonard tossed the rest of the mail into the front seat and sat back down behind the wheel. He drove around the development to their building and parked, noting that Jim wasn’t there yet, but knowing he would be there soon. He entered their apartment and quickly disengaged the alarm. Deciding to take advantage of the few minutes he had to change, he made his way to the bedroom, tossed his briefcase on the chair, then quickly disrobed.

As he was folding his pants to keep the crease, a trilling “mmrrow” from behind him made him turn. Jack, Joanna’s orange tabby, stood in the middle of the room, looking up at Leonard as his tail twitched inquisitively.

“Sorry, Jack…Joanna’s not home yet. And you know you’re not supposed to be in here,” Leonard said, as if the cat could understand him. He wasn’t entirely unconvinced that he couldn’t, and was just smart enough to keep that ability to himself.

Jack gave another little “brrrp,” and promptly jumped up onto the neatly made bed, circling a spot and then settling down with a little sigh of contentment.

Leonard eyed the cat, considered shooing him away, but then just rolled his eyes. “You could at least pretend that you listen to us.”

Predictably, Jack’s tail twitched, but he didn’t open his eyes or acknowledge the human in the room in any way.

“Bones?” 

Leonard’s attention was diverted from the cat at Jim’s voice. “In the bedroom, Jim,” he called.

“Hey, Bones…how are you?” Jim asked as he came into the room. 

Leonard was just pulling a sweater over his head, and emerged smiling. “I’m fine, Darlin’. How about you?”

Jim shrugged, leaning in to kiss him, and Leonard responded, wrapping his arms around his strong back. Jim held on to him even as the kiss ended and Leonard furrowed his brow in concern.

“Jim?” he said, again, over his shoulder as they stood there, arms around each other and bodies pressing close. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Jim sighed. He pulled away, and gave Leonard a tired smile. “It’s just something at work. It’s…I don’t know…it’s a long story. I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Okay…well, as long as you’re ok. You still up for tonight?”

“Oh, definitely!” Jim said, a smile – a real one this time – gracing his features, and Leonard couldn’t help but smile in return. “We can’t miss movie night! Jo’s been looking forward to this for months.”

Leonard nodded. It was true. Jo loved going to the movies, and had been waiting anxiously for the new Disney movie to come out since she first saw the coming attraction for it. So, after school was out, they were going to go to one of the theaters, have popcorn and snacks, and watch _Brave_. But before they could do that, they had a meeting with Jo’s guidance counselor.

“Well, we gotta head out in about five minutes to make that appointment,” Leonard said.

Jim nodded. “No problem. I just wanted to change my sneakers and throw on some jeans.”

“And get a sweater.”

“Bones…it’s not even...” he paused, taking in the expression on Bones’ face, and realized there was no point to even bothering. “Okay, fine.”

Leonard smiled, and gave Jim another quick kiss. “I’ll grab one for Jo, put dinner down for Jack, and then we’ll head out.”

Just a few minutes later, they were in Jim’s car, headed towards McKinley. The quiet _thump-thump_ of windshield wipers provided background noise as they drove to the school for their meeting with the guidance counselor.

Leonard and Jim were used to meeting with the guidance counselor assigned to Joanna’s year fairly often, but usually at the middle and ends of the quarters. This time, though, they were being asked to come in barely a week into the last quarter of the year. Leonard wasn’t particularly concerned, but Jim had some thoughts about what it could be that he’d decided to keep to himself. No reason to speculate when they’d be finding out for sure soon enough.

“So, I got a letter from the management company today,” Leonard said. 

“Oh, yeah?” Jim said, glancing away from the road for a moment. “What’d they want?”

“Three guesses.”

“Don’t tell me they’re raising the rent again?” Jim asked incredulously.

“Got it in one,” Leonard replied dryly.

Jim rolled his eyes and shook his head, and then took another quick look the man beside him, sensing that he wasn’t done speaking.

“So…I was thinking, maybe we should move.”

Jim nodded. “Yeah, I think it’s time. Though, really, Bones…I’m not sure if we’re going to do much better rent-wise…”

“Well,” Leonard said, a little hesitantly. “I was thinking…you know…I was going to talk to you about this later.”

“No time like the present,” Jim said, giving him a smile.

Leonard took a breath, feeling nervous, but figuring he may as well push through. “I was actually thinking, maybe we should see about the two of us buying a house. You know… ah…together.” 

Jim was quiet for a moment, absorbing that suggestion, and everything it meant. At one time the thought of being “settled down” enough to actually buy a house with someone would’ve sent him into a panic. But that wasn’t what he was feeling now. Jim never felt more secure than when he was with Leonard. Secure and loved. It was those feelings that made something like the prospect of buying a house so easy. He glanced over at Leonard, reaching a hand out to him. Jim’s fingers caught on the silver bracelet that matched the one he wore, and then he took Leonard’s hand, and pulled it to him.

“That sounds like a fantastic idea,” Jim said sincerely. “I love the idea of buying a house with you. I love that it would be ours, and something we have together.”

Leonard smiled, so relieved and so happy that his suggestion had gone over well. It was a huge step, and though they’d lived together for a little less than five years now, and they’d made promises and vows to each other privately – signified by the bracelets they both wore – their connection to each other wasn’t legal and binding in any way. This…buying a house together, with both their names’ on the mortgage…was.

Jim gave Leonard’s hand a squeeze. “I can’t wait to make this happen with you.”

“Me, too, Darlin’.”

A short while later, they pulled into the McKinley lot. They exited the car, and Leonard made sure to take Joanna’s sweater with them. 

“What is with this weather?” he asked, as they hurried to the covered walkway. “Should have brought my umbrella.” 

Jim looked over at him with a smile. “Still such a southerner,” he said affectionately.

“And damn proud of it,” Leonard muttered.

He pulled open the door for Jim, and they stopped inside at the main hallway, taking a second to brush off water droplets. 

Jim glanced at his cell. Despite the weather, they’d made good time, and they still had a few minutes. He looked over at Leonard, a question on the tip of his tongue. But Leonard, who knew Jim so well, could tell in just that glance what was on his mind.

“Want to drop by your old window?” he asked.

Jim nodded, smiling. “That’d be great.”

His feet carrying him practically without thought, he led them to bypass the entrance to the Main Office and headed down the hallway. Walking the halls of the school always made him feel nostalgic, and a little wistful. So many good things had happened because he worked here.

They stopped in front of the one-way mirror that looked in to what used to be his classroom, a small smile pulling at his lips. Leonard watched Jim as he gazed into the room, watching the soft, fond look come over him. And not for the first time Leonard wondered about Jim’s decision to not be a teacher, but focus more on psychology in his County position as the Lead Educational Psychologist. He’d been such a fantastic elementary school teacher, and he obviously loved it, and like his mama had said, “If you’re a teacher, you’re a teacher.”

But Jim had proven to be the exception to that rule. And he was genuinely happy and content with it. Most of the time.

Leonard focused his attention on the kindergarten classroom, and the teachers and children within. To his eye, it looked mostly the same. He was sure there were differences that reflected the teacher who was in there now, and he knew Jim would be able to point them out easily, but the overall look and set-up on the room was the same.

“Hey,” Leonard said, after a few moments, putting his arm around Jim’s shoulders. “We should get going.”

Jim stirred and looked over at him. “Yeah…let’s go.”

“You ever sorry you’re not in there anymore?” Leonard asked as they turned away.

“Mmm…not exactly sorry,” Jim said. “I just…I don’t know. I really enjoyed my time here, working with the kiddos and doing the assessments on the side, and getting to be at the start of their educational careers. But I also love what I do now, and I don’t think I’d be okay with going back to being a teacher.”

Leonard nodded. He understood feeling wistful over what gets left behind as life changes. It’s just the way it was sometimes.

Arriving at the Main Office, Jim pulled the door open and followed Leonard in.

“Hello Jean,” Jim said, addressing the secretary behind the counter, waving a hello. 

Jean smiled at them. “Dr. McCoy, Dr. Kirk,” she said formally.

Jim raised an eyebrow, doing a fair impression of Leonard’s expression, with a completely different outcome. Leonard thought it made him look severe. On Jim, though, it just looked goofy.

Jean chuckled and nodded her head in acknowledgment. “Leonard, Jim,” she amended. “It’s good to see you.”

“Good to see you, too, Jean. Can we….?” Jim gestured towards the hall that led to the offices.

“Yes, go on back. Carol is waiting for you.”

“Okay, thanks,” Leonard said. “Oh, and is Nyota around? We just wanted to say hello.”

“No, she’s actually off-campus this afternoon, but I’ll pass along the message!”

They headed down the hallway, towards the office that Elizabeth Dehner used to occupy. After the situation with Elizabeth, the school’s board made the decision to divide the guidance counselor duties by school level. The elementary Guidance Counselor was a kindly older woman who looked like everyone’s idea of the perfect grandmother, and the children she worked with loved her. 

It’d been a little more difficult to find a middle school guidance counselor, and they’d been through a few of them. Carol Marcus, who was in the position now, had moved to the area recently, leaving a situation similar to McKinley as she’d worked in a small magnet school. So far, she was fitting into the McKinley culture perfectly. As the eleven-year-old Joanna was now taking classes with the 7th graders, Carol had been her g.c. for just under a year. 

“Dr. McCoy, it’s good to see you again,” Carol said warmly, rising from her desk and reaching to shake his hand. She switched her attention to Jim, smiling as her eyes brightened with interest and her gaze became frankly assessing. “Dr. Kirk, it’s so nice to meet you. I attended your workshop on classroom arrangement for learning styles at the CEP symposium last month. It was very interesting. I’d love if we could get together to talk more about it some time.”

“It’s nice to meet you to…and yeah…I’d be happy too,” Jim replied. He shifted a little, feeling a bit self-conscious under her gaze. It didn’t help that he could tell Bones was trying not to smile.

“Well, please, take a seat,” Carol said after a moment, gesturing to the two chairs on the other side of her desk. Relieved that things were moving along, Jim closed the door and he and Leonard settled in their chairs. “Thanks for coming in. I know it’s off the regular schedule, but I didn’t want to wait.”

Seeing Leonard’s concerned expression, Carol was quick to raise her hands in a placating gesture.

“First, let me say that Joanna is, as usual, an exemplary student, and she’s doing so very well. And there is nothing wrong in that regard. This meeting is about next year.”

She paused, steepling her fingers for a moment as she gathered her thoughts.

“As you know, although Joanna is attending class with seventh graders, most of the work she is doing is at least at the eighth grade level.”

Leonard and Jim nodded, acknowledging this. Not one to be content with staying still, academically speaking, Joanna was forging ahead in her subjects. She did the work required by the class, but she didn’t stop with it.

“McKinley stops at eighth grade. And although Joanna is welcome to continue here, of course, we – her current teachers and I – don’t think she’ll be getting as much out of her schooling as she could – as she _should_ – if she stayed with us.”

Carol watched the two men as they took in that information, her eyes tracking between their faces. Jim…didn’t look all that surprised. Which didn’t surprise Carol. The man was a genius in their field. Leonard looked…carefully neutral.

“So, what are you telling me?” Leonard asked after a moment, just the barest hint of a challenge in his voice. “That my daughter is too smart for the teachers and curriculum?” 

“The curriculum, yes. The teachers, no. The problem, though, is that the teachers have to focus on the curriculum for the rest of their students. As Joanna moves into high school level work, her teachers just aren’t going to have the resources on hand to provide her with information from which to work. Now, Joanna can of course continue as she is, doing what extra work we can pull from outside resources at the pace that suites her. But ask yourself, is that really what you want for her? To move ahead without any real instruction?”

Jim remained quiet, but he looked over at Leonard as he tried to see the problem with that.

“I think I understand what you mean,” Jim said after a moment. “So, like, for example, she could be reading ninth and tenth grade books, but I don’t think anyone’s ever really taught her how to analyze what she’s reading, and answer a full essay question about it.”

“Exactly,” Carol said. “And what I think will end up happening is that she’ll have all this background knowledge that she gained on her own – time well-spent for sure – but lack the ability of application.”

“Okay,” Leonard said after a moment. “I see what you mean. But…I have to be honest here…I’m not sure what else to do with her. McKinley has been such a good fit, and she’s been able to open up so much by having the stability of this school…I didn’t think we were going to have to deal with a transition for another year.”

“Well, and you still might not,” Carol replied. “Like I said, Joanna is welcome to stay and finish the eighth grade with us. But we just wanted to put it out there that there might be a better situation for her.”

“Do you have any ideas, Carol?” Jim asked.

“Actually, yes. There are a few options that I was able to come up with.” She handed a folder to them. Leonard accepted it, and he and Jim opened it, flipping through some of the documents Carol had put together as she continued talking.

She’d outlined for them three good possibilities – a school, an online charter, and an in-person tutor-based academic program. All of them had their positives and negatives that Leonard could see right off the bat, and he was sure there were more of both that he and Jim would have to delve more deeply into the information to ascertain.

They talked right up until the bell, then all three of them stood and shook hands. 

“Thanks so much for putting all of this together, Carol,” Leonard said sincerely. “Everyone here has always cared so much about Joanna…I really appreciate the effort to put this together.”

“No problem. Joanna is a sweet girl, with an amazing future. We all just want to see her get as much as she can out of her education.”

Carol walked them out, and to the front office.

“Thanks for coming in Leonard, and it was very good to see you, Jim. I’ll call you, and let’s set up that date for coffee or lunch. Have a great weekend.” With that, she excused herself to go handle her end of day duty with some of the late-pickup kids. 

After she left, Leonard turned to Jim with a teasing smile on his face. “It was _very_ good to see _you_ , Jim,” he said, smile growing wider as Jim flushed – a very uncharacteristic look on him.

“Come on, Bones, really? How old are you?” he asked, casting his eyes to the side. “She’s just interested in my work.”

“Sure she is. Good thing I know you’re all mine,” he said quietly. 

Jim flushed again, unused to being the focus of such obvious female attention. Leonard huffed a laugh, and reached out to give Jim’s arm an affectionate squeeze.

He cleared his throat, and changed the subject entirely. “We’re meeting Jo here?” Jim checked.

“Yeah,” Leonard replied. He tapped the folder tucked under Jim’s arm. “We’re going to have to go over this more carefully.”

“Definitely. On one hand, I don’t want her to waste her time by not getting the appropriate instruction. On the other, there’s a lot more to a kid than appropriate instruction.”

Leonard nodded, and was about to say something more, but Jo walked in just then, all smiles, and they tabled it. They needed to talk more about it together before bringing it to Jo. She tended to stress herself out over things like this, and neither of them wanted that.

“Hi Daddy! Hi Uncle Jim!” she exclaimed. She gave each of them a hug, then stepped back, holding one of their hands in each of hers. “Are we still all set to go to the movie?”

“Yes we are, Baby,” Leonard said, tucking some of her flyaway curls behind her ear and smiling at her excitement. 

“Jo…why don’t you hand me your backpack,” Jim said. “And put on the sweater…it’s chilly and rainy outside…and we’ll get going.”

“Okay, um…here…” 

A couple of moments later, they were set to go so they hurried across the parking lot, one of Jo’s hands being held by each of them. Jim opened the car for them, and everyone climbed inside, happy to be out of the drizzle.

“You buckled, Jo?” Leonard asked, turning to look at her in the backseat.

“Yup!”

Jim smiled at her in the rearview mirror.

“Have a good day at school, sweetie?”

“Yeah, a pretty good day. There were a lot of tests today…a test in science, and English and social studies. They were easy.”

“I don’t remember you studying for them, Jo,” Leonard said. “Did you?”

Concerned that there might be wrong answer here, Jo shrugged and kept her eyes focused on the world outside of the car, watching the scenery as they drove.

“I spent some time reviewing what the teachers said would be covered for the social studies and science, and I did some reading on the English stuff last night.”

“Okay, that’s fine Baby,” Leonard said, quick to reassure her when he heard the hesitancy in her voice. “Did you talk to your pen pal today?”

“No…not yet. I sent her an email, though.”

Leonard and Jim exchanged glances. One of the things the kids were doing in the social studies class is participating in a “pen pal” program with students from other parts of the world. The kids were given interview questions to start off their conversations that were designed to give them a peak into other ways of life. Students who wanted to videochat with their pen pals were given permission slips to take home. Leonard had signed one a few weeks ago, but Jo had yet to work up the nerve and overcome her shyness enough to do it. 

“What’s your pal’s name again?” Jim asked. “She’s from Scotland, right?”

“Right. Tierney,” Joanna replied. “Hey, Dad, can I get a hotdog at the movie theater? And popcorn? I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” Leonard said, reaching into the backseat to squeeze her leg. 

Joanna giggled and squirmed away from the ticklish touch. “I’m a growing girl!”

The weather had a predictably negative affect on the traffic, and it took a bit longer to get there than they were anticipating.

“Are we gonna miss the movie?” Jo asked, as she flipped through one of her books in the backseat.

“Well, we might miss the one we planned to go to, but I think it’s playing every half hour or so,” Jim said. “Bones, you want to check my phone?”

Leonard accepted the smartphone from Jim, an expression of disdain on his face. “I don’t know how to use these things, Jim. How do I get the screen to turn on?”

“Daddy, I’ll do it,” Joanna said with a sigh. She held her hand out, and when Jim nodded, Leonard handed it over.

“How do you know how to do it?” he asked, watching as she swiped her finger over the screen a few times, and tapping to get where she wanted to be.

Eyes on the screen, Jo replied, “Everyone knows how to do it, Dad.” 

Leonard raised his eyebrow at the hint of impatience in her voice.

“Well, almost everyone,” Jim added, and Jo giggled.

“Hey…no making fun of me. I just like my phone to be for callin’ and my computer for computin’.”

Jim smiled and rolled his eyes. “It’s okay, Bones. We love you anyways, right Jo?”

“Oh, I guess,” Joanna replied, a smile on her lips. “You were right, Uncle Jim…it’s playing every half hour.”

“Ya’ll are too kind,” Leonard drawled.

About twenty minutes later than it should’ve been, they finally arrived at the movieplex. This particular one was located in a pretty big complex, with eighteen screens, a couple of restaurants, an arcade, and more than a few boutique shops. It was a popular place, and always very busy.

“You want to buy our tickets, Jo?” Jim asked as they stood in line, pulling out some cash and holding it out to her.

“Um, no…can you do it?” she said, shaking her head.

“I can…but you can, too. Come on, three tickets for _Brave_. Let me see you be brave.”

“Oh, okay,” she said, smiling at the pun. 

Leonard squeezed Jim’s hand, acknowledging the win. Jim had suggested a while ago that they start putting Joanna in situations where she’d have to speak up for herself…ordering things, paying for things, and the like. It was a simple exercise designed to help her gain confidence to open up to and speak to others.

The eleven-year-old Joanna was now was a far cry from the five-year-old she’d been. She was more confident, more likely to stand up for herself, more likely to talk to a classmate. But she hadn’t grown as far out of the introversion and shyness as Leonard had hoped. Jim knew this, but cautioned against pushing her too hard, knowing that could backfire. Instead, they did little things like encourage her to interact with people as often as possible.

Tickets in hand, they made their way to the concession stand, and again Jo placed their order and handed over the money. While they waited, Jim slung a casual arm around Leonard’s waist, tucking his fingers into his back pocket. Jo was pulling napkins out of the dispenser when the sound of kids snickering caught her attention. Looking around, she saw a couple of teenage boys laughing at her father and Jim. They hadn’t noticed, and instead of saying anything, Jo settled for throwing them the nastiest look she could. _Stupid boys_.

Determined to not let anything put a damper on their night out, she turned away from them and put her own arm around her father’s waist, too. A short while later, laden down with their snacks and drinks, they let Jo lead them to the perfect seats and with Jo seated between them, they settled down to watch Merida’s story. 

It was cute, but it was a Disney movie, and though Jo was obviously entranced, neither Leonard nor Jim was as wrapped up in the story as she was. Each of them had a lot going through their minds…whatever it was Jim wanted to talk about, the new goal of finding and buying a house, and now this issue with finding Jo a school. Leonard looked at Jim’s profile over Jo’s head, and as if he could sense Leonard’s eyes on him, Jim turned and met his gaze. He gave Leonard a smile, and he felt himself fall all over again. Every time Jim smiled at him like that he was reminded just how damn lucky he was.

How many people got to say they were completely in love with their best friend, and have those feelings reciprocated…even after all this time? Leonard knew he was in a small, very fortunate pool on that one.

The crowd, comprised almost completely of parents with children of varying ages, erupted into spontaneous applause towards the end of the movie, when Merida’s mother came back to her in human form. Leonard looked over at Jo, catching her wiping her eyes with a napkin. Jim noticed too, and exchanged a look with Leonard. Neither of them had realized how “mother and daughter” centric this movie was going to be.

As the closing credits rolled over Scottish-sounding Disney music, both men leaned close to her. Leonard kissed her cheek and Jim pressed his lips to her temple.

“You okay, Baby?” he asked. People in their row were filing past, but they kept their seats, not in any rush to go.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. It was just…I loved the end. I loved when Merida was saying about being brave enough to find your own fate. I like that idea.”

“How about the rest of the movie, Jo? Did you enjoy it?” Jim asked.

“Yeah…it was a really good story! And it all looked so…real! Like the background? It didn’t look like it was fake at all.”

Jo paused and gathered the trash from her hotdog, drink, and the popcorn they’d shared.

“It didn’t bother me that it was about a daughter and mother, mostly,” she added after a second. “I still liked it.”

“Good,” Jim said. “I liked it too. I liked it when she split that arrow down the center. That really showed the boys, didn’t it?”

“Yeah!” Jo agreed, a smile lighting up her adorable face. “That was pretty funny.”

Happy to see that even if it had gotten to her a little, Joanna still seemed to really enjoy herself, Leonard kissed her again and stood up. “We ready to get out of here?” he asked.

“Yup!” Jo said. She and Jim stood and they followed Leonard out of the row of seats and down the aisle, depositing their trash as they went. Because it was so cloudy it looked darker than it should at that time of evening, but the rain had stopped – at least for the moment.

“So, what do you guys think?” Jim asked, once they were all in the car. “Are we hungry enough to go out to dinner, or should we go home, and maybe just graze on what’s in the fridge?”

“Graze,” Joanna replied immediately. “I ate so much popcorn.”

“And a hotdog,” Leonard added.

“And then more popcorn,” Jim added with a smile as he looked over his shoulder.

“Oh, no, Uncle Jim…you ate at least as much popcorn as I did. So did you, Daddy. I saw you taking handfuls when you thought no one was looking.”

“Caught me, Baby. So…home then. I can make us a snack later if we get hungry again.”

That decision settled, Jim drove them home, navigating carefully on highways and surface streets in traffic still affected by the weather.

“Don’t follow so close, Jim,” Bones murmured at one point, tensing in his seat as a car in front of them braked hard enough that Jim had to do the same.

“Sorry, Bones,” Jim said easily, and eased up, doing as Bones asked even though he felt a little annoyed at the backseat driving. He’d never been in an accident…he didn’t need to be told how to drive.

Once they got home, everyone changed into more comfortable clothes – pajamas for Jo, t-shirt and sweatpants for Jim and Leonard, and they each settled into their own quiet activity. 

Joanna had always been very good at entertaining herself, a quality Leonard had experienced mixed feelings about. He’d seen the way Jo would go to her room when she got home from school, often closing her door and staying in there until she was called for dinner. At first he’d been concerned that she was upset about something and hiding it. Jim, though, had suggested that it was just her way of recharging after hours of having to interact.

_“She’s an introverted person,” Jim had explained. “That’s different from just being shy. Introverts need time to themselves because socializing just takes a lot out of them. Haven’t you noticed that when she doesn’t have a chance to keep to herself for a bit after school how cranky she gets? You’re like that, too, you know,” he said with a fond smile._

After having it pointed out to him, Leonard realized Jim was right…about him and Jo…but he hadn’t seen the connection until Jim pointed it out. And then, after that, he didn’t feel so worried about her anymore. Now, they made a conscious effort to make sure she got that time to herself every day, and the effects were visible. She was a happier, more outgoing child when she had time to just be by herself.

Now, as Jo wandered off into her room, faithful Jack following, Jim and Leonard settled on the couch together. Leonard put his feet up on the ottoman and Jim leaned against him, bringing the laptop with him.

“So, Bones,” Jim said, happiness in his voice. “You want to buy a house with me?” He looked over at Leonard as the computer went through its start-up mode.

“Yeah, Darlin’,” Leonard replied, a smile on his face. He kissed Jim, one hand coming up to cup his jaw. “I want to buy a house with you.”

“That’s so awesome. Where do we start? I’ve never bought a house before.”

“I did…once,” Leonard replied, and Jim nodded. He knew that he’d bought a house with his ex-wife before she was his ex. He’d sold that house, too, when he’d made the decision to move out to California. “First things we should do are find a realtor, and get all the funding in place…see how much we can afford, what our rate will be…things like that.” He paused, a thought coming to him for the first time. “Jim…do you think we’ll have any trouble finding someone who will work with us?”

Jim looked over at him. “You mean working with a gay couple?” Leonard nodded, and Jim shrugged. “It’s possible. I don’t think it’s very likely, though. There’s such a stigma attached to that now. I think it would be more likely that we may run in to people not wanting to sell their house to us."

“Hm…I hadn’t thought of that,” Leonard admitted.

“Well, don’t worry about it Bones. There’s so many houses on the market right now…I just know we’ll find the perfect one. When do you want to tell Jo?”

Leonard hesitated, thinking about that for a moment. “Oh, let’s wait until we have something for sure to tell her.”

“You don’t want to have her be part of the process?” Jim asked.

“No, I do…but…I don’t know. I don’t want to worry her. And with the possibility of moving, and now maybe trying to find a new school…I feel like she’s finally _comfortable_. She’s in a school she likes, she has friends, she has relatives…she has everything I’ve ever wanted for her. We’ve been in a good steady state for a while, and I just feel like we’re going to slide backwards if we throw too much at her too soon.”

Jim understood. He remembered, vividly, what those first few days of school had been like for her, and how stressful it’d been on Bones, to see his little girl go through that. And he’d seen how every milestone – making a friend, reading to the class, starting a new year without tears, taking part in a school play, participating in group projects, actively looking for community service activities, and getting her friends involved, instead of just following along quietly in the background – was just as much a triumph for Bones as it was for Joanna.

Jim smiled gently, reaching a hand up to card through his hair. “You’re such a good father, Bones. I wish every kid had the opportunity to have a dad like you. I get it. I get why you’re concerned, but change is a part of life. Protecting her from everything isn’t going to help for long, because those changes will occur. And instead of giving her time to come to grips with it, they’ll just be there. All of a sudden. She’s done so well over these last five years…but that’s because you and I push her. Kids need those pushes, or they’ll never learn to adapt.”

Bones sighed, hearing and recognizing the truth in those words. “You’re a good father, too, Jim. Joanna is lucky to have you. You’re right…we should at least give her a head’s up. Let’s talk to her about moving, but let’s not say anything about the school situation yet. One thing at a time.”

“Sounds good, Bones,” Jim said. He stretched for a kiss, then settled back down, resting his head on Bones’ strong shoulder. “Thank God it’s the weekend. What a day.”

“Did something happen today?” Bones asked, remembering the way Jim had held on to him when they’d met in the bedroom earlier that afternoon.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to talk about it now. Let’s wait till later, when everyone’s in bed,” Jim said.

 _Translation_ , Bones thought. _Touchy subject, not for little ears._

“Are _you_ okay?” he asked, a little concerned by Jim’s tone.

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. It’s just a situation I came across at work today.” He hesitated, and for a moment Bones thought he was going to go into more detail, but Jim changed the subject. “Now…where do you think we should start looking?”

For a few minutes, Leonard and Jim focused on the laptop, going through various realtor listings for single-family homes in the different neighborhoods in the area. They easily agreed that it would be best to try to find something between the University and hospital, where Leonard worked, and the school board building. Jim was, more often than not, actually in the field visiting different schools, but his office was at the main district building, and he was there at least twice a week.

“Ooh, look at this one, Bones,” Jim said, enlarging a nice-looking two-story. “I really like this one.”

“Yeah?” Leonard asked, looking between the online picture and Jim. It was a very…traditional-looking house…and not one he’d really thought would be Jim’s style. Leonard liked it too…and it wasn’t a row house, which Leonard appreciated. However, it was priced much higher than he’d had in mind. Not completely un-doable, but still more than he’d originally thought he’d be comfortable with.

“Yeah,” Jim said, with a little shrug. He looked up at Leonard with a sweet smile. “I can picture our family being really happy there.”

Leonard felt warmed through at that thought and he bent to kiss Jim as he cupped his strong jaw. And he knew he’d buy Jim that house exactly if it made him smile like that all the time.

A few minutes later, the sound of little feet coming down the hall prompted Jim to close the laptop and set it gently down on the floor, sliding it out of the way.

“Dad, Uncle Jim,” Joanna said a moment later, coming around the couch to stand in front of them. “Can we play a game?”

Jim opened his arms to her, and with a smile, she joined them on the couch, snuggling down with them.

“What do you want to play?” Leonard asked.

“Umm…Monopoly?”

“Ugh,” Leonard said. “You two are just going to beat the pants off me again.”

Jim and Joanna chuckled, and Jim slapped her a high-five.

“How about Scrabble?” Jim suggested.

“Yeah, okay!” Jo said. “We haven’t played that game in a while. I’ll…let me go and I’ll get it.”

She tried to push herself up, but Jim held her in place and her father reached around him to tickle her sides. She struggled and laughed, drumming her little feet against the couch as she wriggled out of Jim’s grip.

“Ha! I got free!” she exclaimed, flipping her messy hair out of her face. “Ok, I’ll go get it. Be right back.”

With that, she skipped out of the room, and Jim and Leonard exchanged looks.

“You ready for a night of exciting word play?” Leonard asked drily.

Jim smiled. “Always. Let’s make some cocoa and tea.”

Once everyone had their drinks, they settled themselves on the floor around the Scrabble board, and Jim felt himself relaxing as he took in the quiet, comforting scene. He loved this. He loved Bones for giving him this. He couldn’t imagine needing anything else in his life to feel as complete as he did. Leonard looked up and caught Jim staring at him over the game board. Jim’s eyes smiled happily, and Leonard quirked a smile in return.

“What’s the secret?” Jo asked suddenly.

“Secret?” Leonard replied. “What makes you think there’s a secret, Baby?”

“I don’t know…you and Uncle Jim were smiling like you have a secret. That’s…nine points for this word. Your turn Uncle Jim.”

“Good job Jo!” Jim said, turning his attention to his tiles, leaving Bones to deal with the “secret”. 

“No secret, Jo. We’re just happy. Are you happy?”

“Yeah, Daddy, I’m very happy,” she said, smiling to show her dimples.

Leonard couldn’t help but smile back, as always completely charmed. He nodded, and then asked, “Do you think you’d be happy if we maybe started looking around for a new house?”

Jim froze as he was lining tiles up on the board for a double point word, looking up at Bones in surprise. He caught his eye, and Bones shrugged slightly. Jim shook his head. He should have known. It wasn’t like Bones to beat around the bush after a decision was made.

“A new house?” Joanna repeated. “Like, not live in an apartment?”

“Yeah,” Bones said. “Move out of this apartment into a house instead.”

As was her custom, Joanna was quiet for a moment, contemplating the possibility and what it could mean. “Are we going to move far?” she asked.

“No, not far,” Jim replied. “Your dad and I still want to be kinda close to where we work.”

“And I don’t want to be too far from my school, too, right?” Joanna said, looking up at them with intelligent eyes. Jim and Leonard carefully did not look at each other, knowing very well what Jo was fishing for, and knowing that that discussion was still a way off.

“We’re only going to look for houses that are close to where you’re going to school,” Leonard replied, exchanging a quick look Jim.

“Then I think that’s good!” Jo replied. “I like that we would have our own house. When are we going to move?”

“Well, it depends, Jo,” Jim replied. “We have to find someplace first.”

“Okay, well, can I help you look?”

Happy that the idea of moving had gone over so well, everyone refocused their attention on the game. They played by the rules and didn’t give Jo any slack. She didn’t win…and nobody expected her to…but she had fun and managed to put up some pretty high-point words.

The rest of the night passed quietly, and a short while later Jo decided she was going to go read in bed, and then go to sleep. They pretty much let Jo decide her own bedtime schedule on weekends, and she was fairly consistent. She’d stay up till nine or ten, then read for a while. It was a privilege she’d gradually earned by being good about bedtime and waking up in the morning for school, and it worked for everyone. She got to do what she wanted, for the most part, and Jim and Leonard got some time to themselves every night.

Tonight, after doing his customary rounds of checking the windows, doors, and making sure the alarm was engaged, Leonard turned off lights throughout the apartment as he made his way back to his bedroom. He stopped at Jo’s door, pushing it open a little more to peek in on her, and he had to smile at what he saw. Her bedside light was on, she was propped up on her pillows, and a book rested page-side down on her chest as she slept, Jack curled up beside her. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, he came into her room and roused her enough to settle comfortably in the bed, closing the book and leaving it on her bedside table. He snapped off the light and leaned down to kiss her, brushing his lips on her forehead.

“Mmph, g’night Daddy,” she mumbled, barely opening her eyes.

“Goodnight Baby,” Leonard whispered. “Sweet dreams.”

He left her room, closing the door quietly behind him. He continued to his bedroom, catching Jim as he was taking off his clothes, leaving himself just in boxers.

“Jo good?”

“Already asleep.”

Jim smiled. “I knew she wouldn’t last long when she misspelled valiant. The news about moving went over well.”

“Yeah,” Leonard said, as he pulled his shirt over his head. “I know that was a surprise, but I figured may as well get it out there.”

“I hope she takes any news about changing schools as well,” Jim said.

“Hm. Well, let’s not worry about that yet,” Leonard replied. He dropped his clothes in the hamper and turned back to Jim, all of his attention on him. “Come here.” They wrapped their arms around each other and just held on. Leonard tightened his arms around him as Jim rested his head on his shoulder. After a few moments they separated, and Leonard looked into Jim’s eyes. “I want to hear about your day. Tell me what’s up.”

Taking his hand, Leonard led Jim to the bed, and they settled down, making themselves comfortable sitting so they could see each other as they talked.

“Were you in a school today?” Leonard asked, giving Jim an opening to get started. 

“Yeah,” Jim replied with a sigh. “A middle school. I was actually there to do a workshop with a group of girls, but a staff member asked me to talk to a sixth grade boy. Apparently, he’s always a problem, but over the last few weeks seemed to be getting worse. Argumentative, angry all the time, antagonistic…you know.” Leonard nodded, and Jim continued. “But he wasn’t really lashing out at other students, for the most part. Usually he’s belligerent towards adults. So, I spent a few minutes with him, and he wouldn’t talk to me very much, but Bones…I got a really bad vibe.”

“What kind of bad vibe?” Leonard asked. 

“I just got the sense that he’s dealing with something bad,” Jim said. “Not from anything he said, or did, or even anything anyone was able to tell me. It’s just…a gut feeling.”

Leonard nodded. He knew what it was like to have nothing but a gut feeling influencing your perceptions. It’s happened to him as a doctor, and in his own life. Listening to it, Leonard had learned, was important. It was often what separated good doctors from great doctors. He didn’t see any reason why it would be different for someone in Jim’s position.

But that wasn’t everything. Jim dealt with stuff like this all the time. This kid seemed to have touched a deeper nerve.

“So what about him made such an impression on you?” Leonard asked.

Jim kept his eyes focused somewhere on the bed between them, and was quiet for a few seconds. Leonard gently grasped his foot and gave it a squeeze, just to touch, and connect. And Jim responded to that, looking up at him.

“He reminded me a lot of me. Of what I was like at that age. Except I had Sam, and Chrissy, to keep me from getting too bad. I just…I have the feeling that he doesn’t have anyone, and the people, or person, who are in his life, is – at the very least, are extremely neglectful and at the worst, are abusive. It just…hurt to see a kid going through something like that. And I don’t feel like anyone at the school notices him. Every class is overcrowded, every teacher is overworked, and everyone is just too willing to write him off as ‘problem student’ without bothering to find out _why_ …what’s causing him to be a problem.”

Leonard nodded, understanding the situation, and why Jim had seemed so out of sorts about it, better now. 

“What are you going to do about it?” Leonard asked, knowing very well there was no way Jim was going to leave a situation that he felt that strongly about unresolved.

Jim sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t really know, Bones. I need more time with him, to try to get him to talk to me, to maybe talk to a couple of his teachers, and definitely the staff member who pointed him out to me in the first place.”

“Can you make that happen?”

“Yeah, for a few days. And then what, though? Get some actionable information out of him then call CPS? They’re so overrun that if they do anything at all it’ll just be to take him out of his home, put him in the foster system, and then God knows what.”

Leonard heard the exasperation in Jim’s voice and sympathized with him. It sucked to feel like your hands are tied, or that the solution could almost be worse than the problem.

“Well, Darlin’, I don’t have any advice for you, except to take it one step at a time. Maybe, as you spend more time at the school, you’ll find someone who can be this kid’s advocate. Or maybe, whatever it is that’s causing him to act out is just something temporary. Maybe he just needs someone to talk to. But, Jim…whatever the problem is…he’s lucky to have you on his side, whether he ever knows it or not.”

Jim smiled tiredly, feeling some of the tension melt off of him. As usual, Bones knew what to say to help him put things in perspective. Despite what his personal feelings, the situation with this kid wasn’t all that different from any of the hundreds of kids he saw every year, and Bones was right. He just needed to take it one step at a time, as he would with any other situation. 

He sighed. “Thanks, Bones. And you’re right…a step at a time is the way to go. It’s just hard to keep things in perspective when it touches so close to home.”

“I know, Darlin’. I wish there was something I could say or do to make it easier for you.”

Jim didn’t doubt that for a second, and to hear Bones say it warmed him through. Wanting more, he shifted so that he could sit with Bones and be held. Attuned to Jim as he was, Bones just seemed to know what he needed and wrapped him in his arms, slumping down on the bed comfortably. Tucked against his side, Jim rested his head on Bones’ shoulder and closed his eyes and sighed, so easily comforted by the physical and emotional closeness they shared. 

He slid a hand across the firm plane of Bones’ stomach, and felt Bones take hold of that wrist, gently running his fingers over the silver bracelet Jim almost never took off. Bones wore the matching one, a Christmas present from Jim to both of them their first Christmas together. Originally, he’d given it, and they’d worn them, as a promise to each other. Now, it was also a symbol of their commitment, to their relationship and to their family. And Jim wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Despite his worry and concern over the things he came up against every day at work, he could hardly remember a time when he wasn’t this happy and content. He couldn’t even imagine going back to a time in his life when he’d have to deal with things like this on his own. He could, for sure, if he had to. But it was so much…better…to have someone to share it with. It didn’t feel too big, or too much. Having Bones in his corner, knowing that he was there, and _wanted_ to be there, made a difference that he just hadn’t expected.

Leonard traced his hand up and down Jim’s arm, and let his head rest against him. Despite the early hour, he was drowsy and it was so comfortable laying here like this. Jim was a warm weight beside and over him, and Leonard could feel that he had relaxed, letting go of the tension of the day. He couldn’t see Jim’s face in this position, but the even, quiet breathing indicated that Jim had already dozed off, or was close to it. He looked down at the arm across his belly, as his fingers rubbed over the bracelet, and then moved the gentle touch to Jim’s palm. His fingers closed on Bones’ with a squeeze. After a few more minutes of lying quietly together, he roused when Jim shifted, and they both stretched, yawning.

“I feel like an old fart, Bones,” Jim complained. “It’s not even 10:30 on a Friday night and I feel like I could sleep for ten hours.” 

Leonard smiled, rubbing his eyes. “Felt like a long week, didn’t it? But you know what we have in front of us Darlin’?”

Jim thought for a moment, trying to remember if there was something going on this weekend. “What?” he asked finally.

“Nothin’,” Leonard replied. “Nothin’ that has to be done. And, Jo is going to Ella’s tomorrow to work on a school project…the ‘Around the World’ one with the penpals. And you know what that means, don’tcha?”

Jim smiled, and reached to kiss Bones, sliding his hands into the thick, dark hair and pulling gently. Bones made a little sound at the back of his throat and opened for Jim, holding him and pulling him closer. They separated to breathe, and shifted further down in the bed. Leonard used the leverage he had to roll them, so that he could support himself over Jim and look into his eyes. They kissed again, softly, then Leonard gently nuzzled his jaw and kissed his neck, smiling as Jim writhed in ticklishness, his knees coming up to bracket Leonard’s body as he clutched at his shoulders and his toes clenched in the bedsheets. Leonard chuckled softly, the vibrations going straight down Jim’s spine to his toes.

“Bones!” Jim gasped. “It tickles!”

Chuckling again, Leonard let up and caught Jim’s lips in another kiss, pressing their lower bodies together, making them both gasp at the sensations as he moved.

“Still tired?” Leonard asked, looking down into Jim’s eyes as he threaded their fingers together, holding Jim’s hands against the mattress.

“Mmm…suddenly I’m wide awake,” Jim replied, his eyes dark with lust. He raised his head to kiss Leonard again, and he obliged. Leonard’s eyes slipped closed Jim explored his mouth, his soft lips a counterpoint to the slight roughness of a day’s worth of stubble. Jim freed a hand and gently stroked up and down Leonard’s bare back, then reached down further to slip his fingers under the waistband of his boxers.

Leonard could kiss Jim like this forever, that seemingly simple intimacy such a turn-on to him. He loved the strength and gentleness, the firm touch and soft strokes…the closeness. Especially the closeness. But there were other things he loved to do, too, and he could feel that Jim agreed. He used his legs to both hold himself over Jim’s body and move against him, pressing and rubbing their bodies together. The material of their boxers intensified the feelings as sensitive skin rubbed against the fabric, teasing them so perfectly.

Moving against each other, little groans and gasps falling from their lips in between kisses, Jim’s hand clenched tightly on Bones’, just holding on. They both hardened, and Leonard lowered his head and breathed hard against Jim’s shoulder, resisting the urge to reach down and give himself more of what he was craving…more friction, and ultimately relief from the deliciously tantalizing feel as they thrust against each other, still separated by layers of fabric.

Leonard stroked up and down Jim’s body with his free hand, fingers finding a nipple. He gently pinched and rubbed, and Jim shivered. Loving how responsive Jim was to such a simple touch, Leonard lowered his head and tongued nipple, sucking and licking as Jim moaned continuously.

“Oh, god…oh…” Jim let his head fall back, eyes rolling back as he jerked each time Leonard gently squeezed that sensitive nub between his teeth. “Feels so good…so…Bones, please….” Jim moved and strained under him, desperate for more of everything. “You’re going to make me come in my shorts.”

Leonard chuckled against his chest, then looked up, meeting the fiercely blue eyes that were dark with lust. “Well, let’s fix that real quick, Darlin’,” he replied. Jim lifted his hips for him, and Leonard tugged the boxers down his legs and off, dropping them to the floor.

“You too,” Jim said, his voice low and urgent. “Need you now, Bones.”

Leonard did as he was told, pulling back enough to push them down and off, and that gave Jim room to twist under him, reaching towards the bedside table. He found the small bottle he was looking for, and lay back down, meeting Bones for another kiss.

“Give that here,” Leonard said, and Jim handed the lube over, a small smile on his face.

“You look like a man with a mission,” Jim said teasingly, propping himself up on his elbows. He watched as Leonard poured a bit into his hand. Leonard had, to Jim’s absolute delight, developed a very playful streak in the bedroom. And tonight…after a week of being exhausted and just falling in to bed together to curl up and sleep…was the perfect time to indulge. 

“Oh, I have a mission all right,” Leonard replied. He locked eyes with Jim and moved back up towards him. Jim lay back down, settling on the bed, waiting almost breathlessly to see what Bones had in mind. On his knees beside him, Leonard kissed Jim again, placing one hand in the center of his chest and pressing lightly. 

Jim jerked at the feel of Bones curling his hand around his hard length. He inhaled sharply through his nose, then gasped and bit his lip when Bones ended the kiss. Jim groaned, pressing his head back and grasping the pillow under his head as Bones stroked him firmly and slowly. The slick, unrelenting up and down slide made him tense his stomach and legs, nearly completely overwhelmed by the incredible sensations. The feel of Bones’ large, strong hand holding him firmly, sliding up and down on him, was enough to make him shake. Tremors rippled through his body, and he felt his balls draw up tightly. His hips moved up and down, following the movement of the slow stroking, and he clenched his hands in the sheets desperately.

“Oh, fuck, Bones…please…” Jim groaned, breathing heavily and tensing his whole body when Leonard focused his attention and used his fingers to rub and tease just the sensitive tip Jim’s cock, spreading precum and lube with the pad of his thumb. Jim groaned again, arching as the sensations became too intense and he thought he couldn’t take it another second, and his hips jerked into the air uncontrollably. _“Uh…ooohhh…_ feels so good! _Bones_ , oh, god, I’m gonna come!”

Leonard looked down at Jim, drinking in the beautiful expression of intense pleasure on his face. He was flushed all the way down his chest, and he was practically vibrating with arousal and need, and Leonard wanted to slake that need so bad he could feel it through his whole body. Stopping the motion of his hand, and just holding Jim’s hard, hot length in his fist, Leonard leaned down, and kissed the panting breaths right out of Jim. He pulled away, then leaned down to whisper everything he intended to do against Jim’s ear, while resuming the long, slow strokes…not hard or fast enough to make Jim come, but more than enough to make him shiver and moan in encouragement.

“Yeah, Bones, god, please…want you. Want you now…” Jim begged. “Come here….where’s the lube?” 

Focusing, Jim sat up slightly and made his shaking hands work to open the lube and get some on his fingers. Leonard straddled Jim, leaning over him to kiss him again, and Jim slipped his hands down between them. Reaching between Leonard’s spread thighs, he cupped his hard and leaking cock with one hand, stroking just slightly, and with the other gently worked Leonard open. First with one finger, then two, and then soon after three, Jim stretched Leonard as he rocked back and forth slightly, moaning every time Jim managed to brush over his prostate.

It wasn’t long before Leonard was pulling away, panting. “I’m ready, Jim. Need you now…”

Jim lay back and watched as Leonard crouched over him. He held the base of his penis with one hand, the other on Leonard’s hip, guiding him down. Jim slipped into Leonard easily, and he rocked slightly, urging him in deeper and deeper, until he was all the way in, Leonard’s legs tense as he rested on his knees on either side of Jim’s hips. Jim stroked the strong, lightly furred thighs, then took Leonard’s hands, holding him tightly and helping him balance.

Tremors shook both men, and their breath exploded out of them as they held still for as long as they could both stand it. Finally, with a strangled groan, Leonard raised himself slowly, and then let himself sink back down on Jim. He did it again, and again, shifting slightly so that Jim slid past that perfect spot in him each time, and he nearly sobbed with relief when Jim freed one of his hands to stroke his achingly hard cock, using not much more than the precum that dripped onto his belly. 

The friction drove him to move harder and faster, and Jim grunted with each plunge, his body shaking and tensing as he felt his delayed orgasm rushing towards him. Jim gritted his teeth, trying to force it back. Leonard could see the struggle on Jim’s face, and he was feeling it too, between the stroking of his cock and the feel of Jim inside him. He came down on Jim again, then forced himself to hold still, using his muscles to squeeze Jim.

“Bones, _gonna come!_ ” Jim warned through clenched teeth.

“Come for me Darlin’,” Leonard said, panting. He wiped sweat out of his eyes, and moved his hips, almost making Jim cry out, but leaning down to cover his mouth with his own and keep it muffled as they kissed. Jim jerked beneath him, his fist tightening on Leonard’s cock, trying to stroke it and make him come, too. Jim arched in the grip of his climax, heels and shoulders pressing into the mattress, and Leonard felt it as he pulsed inside of him. 

After endless moments, the tension released from Jim’s body, and Leonard allowed himself to move again, sliding up and down just a couple more times. Jim groaned with sensitivity, fighting the urge to cry out and only partially succeeding…but then Leonard froze in place, orgasm crashing over him with a power and swiftness that took his breath and his voice. Shaking and gasping, the contractions rolled through his body, and nothing else registered as he finally started to relax, slumping down as his muscles went lax.

Some time later, Leonard roused to the feeling of fingers being drawn through his hair, but he felt too worn out, too warm and too comfortable to move, so he settled for a questioning grunt.

“Hey,” Jim said softly. “Welcome back.”

“Mmm,” Leonard responded. Blearily, he raised his head from Jim’s shoulder and squinted in the low light of the bedroom, meeting Jim’s blue eyes that were smiling at him. “That was…”

“Really intense,” Jim said. 

“You okay?” Leonard asked, making one arm work to bring his hand up and gently cup Jim’s head. It was simple gesture of love and concern, and as always, made Jim realize again just how much he was loved.

“I’m fantastic,” Jim replied earnestly. “You?”

“Never better. Could lie here forever. ‘S perfect,” Leonard mumbled. He smiled as he heard Jim chuckle in his chest. 

“If we lie like this much longer, we’re going to be stuck together,” Jim said.

Leonard sighed deeply, tempted to just deal with the discomfort later. 

Jim drew his fingers through Bones’ hair over and over, smiling a little at the dark head resting on his chest, just below his chin. He drew a leg up, gently rubbing his foot over Bones’ calf, and let himself drift for a while. Bones was right…this was pretty close to perfect. 

Except…

“Bones, I really gotta pee,” Jim said, gently tapping him on the back.

Leonard heaved another sigh, and reluctantly pushed himself up on weak arms and legs. He felt Jim slip from his body as he shifted, and he gave Jim one more lingering kiss before rolling to the side.

Jim’s eyes traveled over Bones’ body, taking in the full length of the nicely muscled frame, and then met his eyes again, neither of them experiencing even a hint of self-consciousness. 

“Be right back,” Jim said. “Should I bring a cloth?”

“Nah, I’m right behind you,” Leonard replied, though he’d yet to make a move to get up.

Jim cleaned himself up in the bathroom and Leonard eventually followed to do the same. They moved around each other easily, fingers trailing along bare backs as they passed, not wanting to keep their hands off each other.

Back in the bedroom, they rearranged the blankets and pillows then snapped off the light and settled down, the pull of sleep a strong and insistent force. Arms around each other, bodies pressed close together, they lay in the cool, quiet dark listening to each other breathe.

“I love you,” Jim whispered. “I don’t think I even had a second to say that today.”

Eyes closed, nearly asleep, Leonard smiled. “I hear you say it every time you look at me. I love you, too.”


	2. Part 2A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The enormity of buying a house together gives both Leonard and Jim a lot to think about, and Jim becomes "oide".

As they drove, they talked about the different schooling possibilities open to Jo as described by Carol yesterday. Internet and homeschooling had obvious instructional benefits. Working one on one with teachers for specific subjects would let her move as quickly as she was capable.  
  
On the other hand, it pulled her out of the classroom, and that was a huge negative. Being around other kids, having to interact with them and with teachers in person, was a major part of making sure she continued to develop socially, and learn to get a handle on her shy nature. Neither Leonard nor Jim wanted her to live behind walls of her own making. They didn’t want her to end up lonely and unable to relate to people. That wasn’t a good life.  
  
“But the University School…now that’s an interesting concept,” Jim said. “Allowing the students to select from available classes, and then hiring the teacher from a pool at the UCal ed. program, and having the tuition based on the shared cost of the teachers…it’s kind of brilliant.”  
  
“Follow this road for about two miles, then we’re going to take a left at Tooney. I’ve never heard of a school being run like that. How can it even be accredited?” Leonard questioned.  
  
Jim shrugged. “We’d have to look in to the nuts and bolts of it, but it’s probably handled the same way internet schooling is…just…without the internet part. But think of it, Bones…if Jo wanted to take a higher level class, she could, and her ‘grade’ wouldn’t matter if she met the qualifications.”  
  
“It does sound good. It must be hard to get into, though. I can’t imagine a school like that could have more than, say, 500 kids at a time to keep the programs viable and the costs of the teachers down.”  
  
“It probably is,” Jim agreed. “But Jo’s a pretty special kid. I actually have the folder for it. I thought we could look over the application process when we stop for lunch.”  
  
Leonard looked over at him. “You seem pretty sold on this, Jim. I’m still not even sure leaving McKinley is the right thing to do. Turn left at the light.”  
  
Jim did as he was directed, staying quiet for a moment. He wondered how much of what he was thinking he should share. Five years, and though he never questioned his place in the family, he still was sometimes unsure of the weight of his role when it came to parenting Jo. When it came down to it, no matter how Jim felt about her, she was Leonard’s. And he wasn’t even an actual stepparent.  
  
Leonard turned from watching the window to look at Jim’s profile. He looked a little tense, and Leonard wondered if he’d said something that struck a nerve. Whatever it was, it was clear to him that Jim was holding on to something he wasn’t sure if he should say. He was usually pretty confident, and there wasn’t much that could make him doubt whether or not to share a thought. Sometimes, though, when it came to Jo, he did.  
  
He shouldn’t. Leonard knew Jim loved her, and they’d completely accepted each other into their lives so easily. But Jim was a product of the way he’d grown up. He’d confided in Leonard more than once that he was concerned about whether or not he’d even know how to be a good parent.  
  
“Jim,” Leonard said. “Whatever you’re thinking, tell me. I know you’ve got her best interests at heart, the same way I do. And, by the way, it’s a good thing that we don’t necessarily see things the same way. We don’t always have to agree. Take a left up here, then a right.”  
  
Jim felt his face warm as Bones pretty much read his mind. He should be used to it by now, how well Bones knew him, and how he knew what to say when he was feeling out of his depth, especially when it came to Joanna. Bones just never doubted Jim’s ability to be in that role, and he loved him for it.  
  
“What’s the address again? This is the street, right?” Jim asked, putting their conversation on hold.  
  
“Yeah, this is it,” Leonard replied. “1402-2…there…is that it?”  
  
Jim looked where Leonard was pointing. There was a row house with two numbers on the door, and he realized that Ryan’s family was probably renting the second level.  
  
“Yup, must be.”  
  
Jim pulled over and parked across the street from the house, looking out of the window and taking everything in. It was an average-looking street, for the most part. The houses looked a little run-down, the paint a little faded. The cars didn’t look expensive, but there weren’t any junks visible either.  
  
“It all looks pretty normal to me, Jim.”  
  
“Yeah, me too,” he agreed, sounding puzzled.  
  
“Not what you expected?” Leonard asked, looking over at him.  
  
Jim glanced over at him and shrugged. “I didn’t really have any expectations, Bones. I just…wanted to see.”  
  
They stayed a few more minutes, mostly sitting quietly while Jim just observed, thinking about what he knew about Ryan. Not much. He’d pulled the student’s address from the system, but hadn’t looked at the school files yet. But the librarian…Anna…who’d asked him if he could take a moment to meet with the boy…had said something was just staying with Jim, even as he sat in the car in a normal-looking neighborhood in front of a normal-looking house.  
  
_“He seems like he’s just adrift, Mr. Kirk,” Anna had said. “Like he’s…lost.”_  
  
His talk with Ryan hadn’t yielded much. He was defensive and closed off. But the little he did speak belied an intelligence that he seemed to keep to himself. He’d been reluctant to make eye contact with Jim, but when he did, the distrust was obvious. In the end, Jim had found himself agreeing with Anna. He did seem lost…and that made Jim want to reach out to him even more.  
  
Leonard waited patiently as they sat there, watching the traffic and people go by, until Jim put the car back in gear and carefully pulled away from the curb and back into traffic.  
  
“Well,” Jim said with a sigh. “I don’t know any more than I did before, but I’m still glad we did this. Thanks for going along with it.”  
  
“Sure, Darlin’. I may not understand all of your methods, but I can’t deny you’re effective at what you do,” Leonard replied.  
  
Jim gave him a smile, and they drove in silence as Jim negotiated the streets back to the main drag that would take them across town the rest of the way to the Coldwell Banker office.  
  
Just as Leonard was going to prompt Jim again, and ask that he share his thoughts about the school situation with Jo, Jim brought it up on his own.  
  
“Do you remember what Jo said about those tests she had on Friday?” he asked.  
  
Leonard thought back and nodded. “Yeah, that she didn’t really study for them.”  
  
Jim waited a beat, then, “And you don’t see a problem with that?”  
  
“Well…if she knew the material…”  
  
“Bones….she should have to study. The things that determine her grades  _should_  be challenging enough that she has to worry a little about doing well on the test. I feel like she’s missing out on a major part of her educational life because she’s not learning that. She’s not being given the chance to have to work hard to get something. And what’ll happen when she gets to a hard class, or starts having to work for grades, and doesn’t know how to handle that? Because it is going to happen eventually, Bones. I’d rather it be sooner – and give her a chance to learn how to study properly – than later, and have her struggle in classes as a college student.”  
  
Leonard remained quiet, absorbing everything Jim said. He didn’t know if he agreed. He didn’t think Jo would let something like that stop her. She’d figure it out. She might have to work harder, but she’d figure it out.  
  
“Okay,” Leonard said finally. “I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t think it’s that big of a problem. I think she’ll be able to handle harder classes. I think she’ll figure out how to learn and how to study. And I don’t necessarily think we need to yank the rug out from under her by cutting her time short at McKinley to accomplish that. I’m not seeing why waiting till there’s a natural break – like the end of 8th grade – is a problem. A kid is more than academics, right?” Leonard asked, repeating what Jim had said yesterday.  
  
“Right,” he nodded. “But a kid is also more flexible when they’re already new to something. This is her first year going to school as a middle school student. Why wait and let her get more set in the way she’s just skating by for a whole other year when there may be an opportunity to put her on the right path  _now_?” Jim countered.  
  
Leonard shook his head and shrugged, still conflicted. “I don’t know what to think, Jim. What you’re saying makes sense. But I don’t know if it feels right for her.”  
  
“Well, we don’t have to make any decisions right now,” Jim said. “But…let’s just keep the possibility of changing where we send her every day in mind as we’re looking for a house.”  
  
“Okay,” Leonard agreed. “That’s fair. And Jim…I’m not discounting anything you’re saying. I appreciate your take on things. I’m just…I have no freaking idea what to do.”  
  
Jim smiled and shrugged slightly. “I understand. I just appreciate that you’re willing to hear me out.”  
  
Leonard reached for and took Jim’s hand over the center console. “Jim, of course I’m willing to hear you out. You play an important part in Jo’s life. What you think matters.”  
  
Jim didn’t answer, but squeezed Leonard’s hand in acknowledgment. He knew that, and Bones never gave him a reason to doubt it, but it was still good to hear.  
  
They arrived at the Coldwell Banker office a few minutes later, and Jim found a place to park just down the street.  
  
“I am so excited about this,” Jim said happily. He paused at the sidewalk, waiting for Leonard to join him.  
  
“Me too, Darlin’….but don’t get your hopes up about making this happen quickly. It took more than a year the last time I did something like this,” Leonard cautioned.  
  
Jim nodded. “Yeah, I got to hear the blow-by-blow from Sulu when he was buying his house. It seemed like there was a complication at every juncture. But I’m not worried about any of that.”  
  
“No?” Leonard questioned, as he pulled open the outer door to the office building.  
  
“Nope,” Jim responded confidentially. “Pretty much everything has worked out for us. This will too.”  
  
Leonard couldn’t help but smile at that. He loved the certainty. They stood at the receptionist’s desk, waiting for her to get off the phone. When the call ended, she focused her attention on them.  
  
“Good afternoon, welcome! How can I help you?”  
  
“Hi,” Jim said. “My brother worked with Estelle Gavin when he was buying his house, and now it’s my turn. We’d love to work with Estelle if she’s available. If not…”  
  
“Oh, I think she’s here right now. Please take a seat, and I’ll give her a call.”  
  
Minutes later, Estelle, an older woman with black hair pulled back in a rather severe bun, came out to greet them and ushered them into her office. Impeccably dressed and with perfectly applied make-up, she looked like a no-nonsense, humor-impaired lady who yelled at kids to get off her lawn.  
  
After just a few minutes with her, though, Jim and Leonard were pleasantly surprised to realize her looks and her demeanor were polar opposites. Estelle had a sharp wit and a dry sense of humor that they both responded to. Leonard could see right away why Sam and Aurelan had so highly recommended her.  
  
They sat and talked for a while, going over what they wanted and how they thought they wanted to do it. Estelle brought up a couple of good points, including the possibility of bringing in a real estate attorney.  
  
“I work with one I trust – as far as you can trust an attorney anyway – and I’d be happy to set up a meeting with him. Since you’re not married, and you’d each be co-owners, there should be a contract in place to protect both of you.”  
  
Jim had balked at that idea, not really feeling a need for it, and Estelle nodded, understanding where he was coming from.  
  
“But here’s the thing, Jim,” she said, leaning back in her chair. “Contracts aren’t for now, when everything’s great. They’re for a “maybe later” – if there’s ever a problem, God forbid. What if Leonard here got hit by a bus? Could you afford a house by yourself? Who would be responsible for his half? Not the daughter, not any of his relatives. You,” she said, driving it home with a finger pointing squarely at Jim’s chest. “And then if you can’t afford it, and he’s gone, you’re the one who’s screwed.”  
  
“That’s…a really horrible thought,” Jim said, looking over at Leonard. And really, not one he’d stopped to consider.  
  
“Not sure a bus was necessary,” Leonard said mildly, not liking the imagery any more than Jim did.  
  
“I know, I know…it’s horrible to think of, and God willing, nothing will ever happen, and you two will live and be together forever. But if there’s life, there’s possibilities of all kinds…and believe me, I’ve seen it all.” She looked back and forth between the two men. Leonard seemed more okay with it….which wasn’t surprising. People with kids generally were. She could see, though, that Jim still wasn’t on board. Not completely. So, she held up her hands in surrender.  
  
“Look, I won’t push. Just meet with the attorney, and hear him out, ask him questions, all of that. Of course, ultimately it’s your own decision that you two have to make together. But if you’re going to have me as your realtor, I’m always going to act in your best interest, and steer you to do the same. At least talking to an attorney is in your best interest. Okay?”  
  
“Okay,” Leonard said, answering for both of them, and putting a hand on Jim’s knee. “We’ll meet with him, but no promises about what will come of it.”  
  
“Fine, fine. Now…let’s start talking about specifics so I can start looking for you. A house with a surrounding yard, huh? You do know you’re in San Francisco, correct?”  
  
They stayed a while longer, answering questions to give Estelle as much information as possible. She also walked them through the beginning of securing a mortgage, including the assignment to go home and check their credit scores, then go online and see if either of their banks had any special programs for doctors or teachers.  
  
“I didn’t realize that there might be a program out there for school district employees,” Jim said.  
  
“Not always,” Estelle said. “But sometimes there are programs available that cover closing costs, or offer exclusive rates. Anyway, it’s worth a look.”  
  
They left a short while later, both feeling a little wrung out, and Jim, Leonard thought, looked a little pale.  
  
“You okay?” he asked, catching Jim’s hand between them as they headed down the sidewalk to a little café they’d spotted on the way there.  
  
“Yeah, I’m good. It’s just…a lot to take in and think about,” Jim replied.  
  
Leonard nodded, but was still worried. It was a lot. It was a huge financial and personal commitment. And no matter how they felt about each other, this would be a big change. They’d be linked together officially, legally, and financially. Jim was right. It was a lot to take in and think about. Maybe it  _was_  too much. Maybe he’d…over-stepped.  
  
His own doubtful thoughts swirling, he absently pulled open the door to the café. One of the servers greeted them and invited them to take a seat wherever they liked. Jim led them to a booth towards the back, and they slid in, one on each side to face each other.  
  
After they’d reviewed the menu and given their selections to their waitress Leonard decided this was too big to let go so easily. Not when they were both obviously…concerned.  
  
“Is it too much?” Leonard asked. “Cause, Jim…it doesn’t have to be done like this, if you’re not comfortable with it. I can…”  
  
“Hey…no,” Jim said quickly. He reached for Leonard’s hand across the table, curling his fingers around his palm, stroking with his thumb. He looked into Leonard’s eyes, wanting him to really see he meant what he was saying. “Yes, it’s a lot. Yes, I…well, I guess I underestimated how a big a deal this actually was. But that doesn’t change the fact that I want to do this with you. I  _want_  us to do this together.”  
  
Leonard looked up when the waitress arrived with their drinks, and Jim let him go, sitting back a little on his side. She set their iced teas down on the table with a little bowl of sugar packets.  
  
“Thanks,” Leonard said distractedly, eyes still on Jim.  
  
“It’s a lot, but I want to. I love you, and I  _trust_  you. This is…it’s big, for sure. But it’s just one more thing.” Jim smiled, shrugged. “Let’s just jump.”  
  
Finally convinced that Jim was in this with him because he wanted to be, something within Leonard relaxed. Their lunch came, and they passed the time talking about other things, tabling the house for the time being.  
  
Just as they were finishing, Leonard got a call from Jo, saying she was ready to be picked up. They settled the bill, and then headed out, shoulders brushing as they headed back to the car.  
  
As they were headed back to the Eberly’s to pick up Joanna, Jim’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, but handed it to Leonard to answer. The gray day had turned rainy again, and driving on city streets with people who weren’t necessarily used to the way such rainfall changed road conditions made him especially cautious.  
  
“Hey Sam, it’s Leonard.”  
  
Jim listened to the conversation that ended with Bones saying they’d be there. Hanging up, he shared the reason for the call.  
  
“We’re invited for dinner tomorrow night,” Leonard said.  
  
Jim nodded. “That’s good. I feel like it’s been a while since we’ve all had a chance to be together. You can make brownies to bring over.”  
  
Leonard rolled his eyes, but nodded. Jim was always bugging him to make brownies. The man had a sweet tooth, for sure.  
  
“It’s a good thing you run as much as you do,” Bones gently teased as they stopped at a light. He reached over to poke at Jim’s midsection.  
  
“Hey,” Jim said, pushing his hand away. “I’m the exact same size now as I was when you met me.” He grinned good-naturedly, and nodded towards Leonard. “You, however, got a little more salt going on in that pepper.”  
  
Leonard smiled, running a hand through his hair. “Ain’t that the truth. I can thank my mama for that one. And Joanna. And you.”  
  
Jim chuckled and shrugged, acknowledging the probable truth of that statement.  
  
Minutes later, they turned on to the Eberly’s street, parked a short distance from their house, and were knocking on their door. Jim decided to come, instead of staying with the car, curious to see the results of Jo’s partnership with the older girl. As Jo had explained it, they weren’t friends, but they weren’t  _not_  friends, and they seemed to work well together.  
  
Ella was more than happy to show off the poster, pointing out the pictures she’d either downloaded or drawn, explaining how they all fit in to the project over all.  
  
“And what about the written parts?” Jim asked. “Who did those?” He’d been looking at Jo, who was quietly gathering her things, but Ella answered.  
  
“Joanna, mostly. I told her what to write for some of the things I talked to my penpal about. And she did the paper. And I’m going to do the oral presentation,” she finished proudly.  
  
“Well, it looks great, you two,” Lana said. She turned to Leonard and Jim. “They didn’t ask for my help once. I went over the grading rubric, and it looks to me like they hit everything they needed to.”  
  
“Excellent,” Leonard said as he flipped through the written report. “Good job Jo. You too, Ella.”  
  
“Thanks!”  
  
“Thanks, Dad,” Jo said, and Leonard raised his eyebrows. He was almost always “daddy”. Not in front of her friends, apparently.  
  
“Got all your stuff?” Jim asked.  
  
“Yup, all set.”  
  
In the car, Leonard turned in his seat to talk to Jo.  
  
“Baby, it looked to me like you did the lion’s share of the work on that project,” he said. “What do you think?”  
  
Joanna shrugged. “I did most of the writing part,” she said. “But I don’t mind. And Ella’s going to do the oral part of the report, too. I think it’s even enough.”  
  
Leonard glanced at Jim, each thinking the same thing… _No, it’s not._  
  
“Well, okay, Baby. As long as you don’t feel like Ella took advantage of you,” Leonard said.  
  
“No…no, I don’t think that,” Jo replied, though the pitch of her voice made her sound less than convincing.  
  
They headed home, the late afternoon still gray and overcast.  
  
“Are we doing anything else today?” Jo asked.  
  
“We don’t have anything else planned,” Jim replied. “Maybe just going to the food store. Why, sweetie? Got something in mind?”  
  
“No, not really. I, um…I have something I want to talk to you about,” she said hesitantly. She looked up, meeting Jim’s eyes in the rearview mirror, then looking away quickly, a light blush blooming across her pretty face.  
  
“Who, Baby?” Leonard asked. “Me or Jim?”  
  
“Um….well, both of you, I think.”  
  
Leonard and Jim exchanged a quick look; both wondering what was on her mind.  
  
“Okay, Darlin’,” Leonard said. “We’ll talk.”  
  
Back at home, Jo brought her backpack into her room and stayed in there for a while. She loved her room…it was a place of refuge for her. It was quiet, and she could just sprawl on her bed or on her floor with a book or a notebook, or with any of the craft kits she loved. Sometimes she put on music, sometimes she just sat in the quiet. Unlike a lot of kids her age, she didn’t have a TV in her room. She probably could’ve if she’d asked. But her dad had never offered it, and she really never wanted it.  
  
Out there, it was often loud and a little overwhelming. Not quite as bad as when she was younger, but still sometimes it was just all so much. And after a day at school, or like today, when she was at a classmate’s house and feeling a little out of sorts because of it, it was such a relief to be able to come back to her room where she could relax.  
  
Usually.  
  
Now, though, as she spent some time with Jack, nervous thoughts raced through her mind. She was worried that Uncle Jim wouldn’t like the idea that she had…and she was worried that maybe her father wouldn’t like the idea. And then she thought that maybe she should talk to her father first. And then she thought maybe she should just write a letter and leave it for them to find, like Janie did the last time she was angry at her parents. Except Jo wasn’t angry at all.  
  
She was just nervous.  
  
And suddenly, a memory from about five years ago arose in her mind. She was just a little kid then, and still confused over what it meant to have her daddy and Jim love each other. She remembered the breakfast that Uncle Jim had made – his second try at cheesy grits – and she remembered being held on her father’s lap as Uncle Jim had explained that he was going to move in, and they were all going to live together, because he loved both of them.  
  
Jo wondered if Uncle Jim had been as nervous as she was now.  
  
_Probably not_ , she decided. Uncle Jim wasn’t the kind of person to really be nervous about anything.  
  
That was so long ago now. She could hardly remember a time when Uncle Jim wasn’t part of their family.  
  
But…he wasn’t her uncle. It’d worked for a while, but that wasn’t who he was to her. She just hoped that they both agreed. She didn’t want to hurt her father’s feelings.  
  
Deciding that she’d dawdled enough, Jo pulled her door open. Her bare feet making little noise on the tile, she made her way down the hall toward the family room where Uncle Jim and her father were lounging on the couch together, watching some type of news program.  
  
“Here she comes,” Jim said quietly. Leonard nodded. They were both curious to know what Jo wanted to talk to them about, but she’d headed for her room when they got home, and had been in there for a little while. When Leonard checked on her, he’d found her sitting in the middle of her bed, brushing Jack. He knew she needed her space, but he was very curious to know what was on her mind. She’d assured him that everything was fine and she’d be out in a little while, so he’d left her to it, to Jack’s feline delight.  
  
Now, though, as she stood uncertainly in front of them, Jim and Leonard shifted to make room for her, and she happily joined them, giving them each a kiss and a hug.  
  
“So, Jo…you going to tell us what’s goin’ on in that little head of yours?” Leonard asked with a smile.  
  
“Yeah,” she said, nodding. “I am. I was thinking…Uncle Jim is not my uncle.”  
  
“That’s true,” Jim said. “I’m not your uncle the same way I’m Janie’s uncle.”  
  
“So, um…I don’t think I should call you Uncle Jim anymore. It just doesn’t feel like that fits who you are to me,” Jo said seriously. She’d held Jim’s eyes as long as she could, but ended up looking away. When she did, Leonard caught the barely-concealed hurt in Jim’s eyes, and he had to stop himself from jumping in. Jo had a point, he was sure, and it wasn’t to hurt Jim’s feelings.  
  
“Oh…uh, okay, Jo,” Jim said, doing his best to keep his voice unaffected. “You can just call me Jim. Or…is there something else you want to call me instead?” he asked, reluctant to suggest anything and wondering where this was coming from.  
  
“You know my heritage project?” she asked, looking up again.  
  
Jim blinked, surprised at the non-sequitor, but nodded. “Yup…you did a lot of writing for the paper.”  
  
Joanna nodded. “One of the things we had to do was look for words that were interesting to us that our penpals used, but aren’t in English. And you know what word was interesting to me?”  
  
“No, what, sweetie?” Jim asked, confused, but willing to play along.  
  
“ _Kirk_. Did you know that  _kirk_  means ‘church’ in Gaelic? Is your family from Scotland, a long time ago?”  
  
“Uh, well, yes.” Jim answered, eyes finding Bones, who was looking just as puzzled. “My dad’s side is from Scotland. I don’t know if I still have relatives there, or anything but I might.”  
  
Jo nodded, then turned her attention to her father. “Daddy, I know you’re not married to Jim, so I hope you won’t mind…but I was thinking….since Uncle Jim’s background is Scottish…and since you’re not my uncle,” she looked back at Jim. “And you don’t feel like just an uncle. You’re…like a parent. My other parent. I thought, if it’s okay…I could call you  _oide_.”  
  
“And what does oide mean?” Leonard asked her.  
  
“Step-father,” she said. She looked up at both of them, pink in the face. “My pen-pal has a mother, and a step-father she calls oide. And…I kinda feel like I do, too.”  
  
She was looking at them both nervously, their silence making her unsure about her request, and her flush deepened.  
  
“Is…is that okay?”  
  
Jim swallowed hard and blinked quickly, taking a second to dash a hand across his eyes and try to get a grip on his composure. Looking back at the little girl, he opened his arms to her, and she went happily, leaning into him and wrapping her arms around him. Jim held her, one hand cupping her head, the other around her back. He closed his eyes when he felt her rest her head on his shoulder.  
  
“It’s perfect,” Jim said. “I love that word. I’m so lucky you want to call me that, Joanna.”  
  
“I love you, oide,” she said. “It’s just more of what you are.”  
  
Jim swallowed again, and took a breath that shuddered a little, then released her. He gently eased her back into her father’s lap, then excused himself from the room.  
  
Jo turned to look at her father, and found that he was looking at her with soft eyes and a loving smile. She noticed that he was looking a little teary, too…and he was, as much moved by Jim’s reaction as he was his daughter’s simple, innocent sentiment. Jo leaned in to him, kissing his cheek.  
  
“You don’t mind, do you Daddy?”  
  
“No, Baby. I don’t mind at all. I agree with Jim…it’s perfect.”  
  
Joanna nodded. “I didn’t mean to make anyone cry,” she said, happy that her suggestion had gone over well, but a little perplexed at the outcome.  
  
“Oh, they’re the best kind of tears, Darlin’. Happy tears. Jim loves you, and you just made him… made both of us…” he amended, “so, so happy.”


	3. Part 2B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Part: Joanna makes a couple of decisions that bring her closer to finding a way to help her permanently define Jim’s place with her family. Leonard and Jim begin their day together with a request from Jim that Leonard just isn’t sure about.

Jack was clawing at her hair. Not hard, and he wasn’t hurting her…well, not on purpose. Determinedly keeping her eyes closed, Jo snaked a hand out from under the warmth of the blankets and pushed him away.  
  
Or tried to.  
  
Thrilled at the game, Jack immediately latched on to her arm, holding her with his front legs and doing the kicking thing with his back legs. Jo’s eyes reluctantly opened when she felt his sharp teeth on the meaty part of her hand, between her thumb and her index finger.  
  
“Hey,” she said. “Gentle.”  
  
Fairly well-trained – for a cat – Jack released her hand from his mouth and flipped away from her. He went back to playing with her hair, and Joanna officially gave in.  
  
“Oh, fine...c’mere you,” she said, pushing the blankets away. She drew Jack into her arms, and he immediately started purring, closing his pretty blue eyes in kitty bliss as she scratched under his chin. She indulged him for a couple of minutes, then sat up, officially ready to start her day. When she stood up, Jack immediately curled up in the warm spot against her pillow, and Jo rolled her eyes.  
  
“Figures…you didn’t want to get up…you just wanted my spot, Jack,” Jo said, sitting back down to stroke along his back. “You’re so cute. Yes you are…my good boy.” She leaned down and placed a kiss on his head then stood again, stretching her arms as high as she could above her head.  
  
It was on the earlier side, just a little after eight, and she was going to Ella’s today to work on their school project. They were partners because they both had penpals in Scotland, not because they were friends. Jo wouldn’t’ve minded being friends, but Ella was always kinda distant. Like, she didn’t like Jo, but didn’t not like her either. On the other hand, she had invited her over…so maybe they could still be friends.  
  
Going to stand in front of her mirror, she pulled her nightshirt tightly against her body and turned sideways. She’d taken to checking almost every morning, and as always, there was hardly anything there. She still looked like a little girl. She knew she was younger, and many of the girls she went to school with didn’t have much either, but they at least had something. She wondered how much longer it would be. Even Janie had excitedly showed her new underwear her mom had bought her. Janie didn’t really need it, but she was now wearing a little bra…a training bra, she’d called it. Janie had offered to ask her mom to take her shopping too, but Joanna had frantically declined, flushing with embarrassment at even the thought. And if Aurelan was out of the question, her dad and Uncle Jim were definitely out of the question. She’d just have to figure it out herself later. When she needed it.  
  
Sighing, she fished through her drawers, looking for something to wear that was comfortable for a weekend that promised to be as gray as Friday had been, if the scene outside her window was any indication, but also not babyish. She settled on a gray Mickey Mouse long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans. It was her favorite shirt, and Mickey wasn’t babyish at all. Mickey was timeless.  
  
She put her hair up in ponytail, then opened the door to her bedroom. Looking down the hall, she saw that her dad’s bedroom door was still closed. She didn’t even entertain the thought of knocking. If they were awake, and  _dressed_ , the door would be open. She’d finally completely learned that lesson a while ago. One morning, she’d tried the door, and finding it unlocked, let herself in…only to stop in her tracks at what she saw. Her father and Jim were lying together…naked. Mostly covered, she was beyond relieved to realize, by either the sheet or other body parts, but obviously completely  _naked_!  
  
Without making a sound, she’d backed out of the room and quietly pulled the door closed. Mortified, she’d stayed in her room until her dad knocked on the door, asking if she was okay, or needed to talk about anything. She’d quickly assured him that she was fine, but it was a day or so before she could look either of them in the eye.  
  
Now, her eleven-year-old mind skittered around the thought of what they were doing in there, maybe naked again, aside from sleeping.  
  
Her dad had talked to her about male and female stuff last year. Some she’d already known, some she needed the blanks filled in. Some she was happy to leave blank. Some…actually a lot…was occasionally the topic of conversation among her classmates. Especially at lunch time. She tried to separate herself from other kids during lunch…she didn’t like to be part of those conversations. They made her intensely uncomfortably because everyone knew about her dad and Uncle Jim, and when they got on the topic, they wanted to talk about it. Sometimes they wanted to make fun…especially the boys. And they were very crude, and she did not want to be a part of it at all.  
  
She hadn’t told her dad or Uncle Jim about it yet…mostly because she was embarrassed, and because she didn’t know what to say. What she really wanted to do was ask to have lunch with the sixth graders, with her friends, but she hadn’t yet. Maybe this week.  
  
In the meantime, she had a project to do. She grabbed her backpack from the kitchen table, got a cup of orange juice and a breakfast bar, and brought everything into the family room. She settled herself on the floor with the remote control, her back to the couch, and turned the t.v. on, quickly turning it down. She found the station she liked, and she opened her backpack to pull out the folder that had some of the different components of the project already done.  
  
Ella had taken over the art part of it, designing the display board and the artistic elements of the assignment, and she’d told Jo to do all of the written stuff. She was aware that wasn’t exactly a fair division of work, but Jo didn’t care all that much. She liked writing, was good at it, and wouldn’t have to do any of the talking when it came to the presentation. Ella was going to handle that too. Which was more than fine with Jo, as a good part of the project grade depended on the presentation. She didn’t trust herself to not screw it up, either.  
  
She opened the laptop her Uncle Jim had left on the floor, slid partly under the couch, and logged in under her name, then plugged her flashdrive in and got to work. She wanted everything ready to print so they could focus on just putting everything together when she got to Ella’s. She worked quietly for a few minutes, going back and forth between Ella’s written contributions and putting them in the right parts of the typed report, trying to type quickly like she’d seen her father and Uncle Jim do. She wasn’t slow, but she knew her two fingered approach (pecking at the keyboard, her dad had called it) wasn’t proper either. As she fixed a spelling mistake from hitting the wrong key, she resolved to work more with that online typing program Uncle Jim had found for her.  
  
After a little while, she felt a furry body bump her side, and Jo looked over at the cat with a smile.  
  
“Well, good morning Jack. For real this time, huh? You decide it was time to get up after all?”  
  
Jack bumped her arm with his head, then put both paws on her leg to reach a head bump on her chin. Jo stroked the cat absently until he decided the quota for the moment was met, and sauntered off in the direction of the kitchen to see to his own breakfast. Jo spent a few more minutes reading over requirements for the project, reviewing what they each had to add to each part, and her eyes finally landed on the section about the words or terms both she and Ella had learned. Scottish Gaelic wasn’t really spoken by either of their penpals, but there were a few expressions that were part of their lexicon that Jo and Ella had found noteworthy.  
  
One Gaelic word, in particular, was interesting to her.  _Kirk,_  which meant “church”.  
  
It occurred to Joanna that she didn’t know very much about where her Uncle Jim’s family came from…besides Iowa. Nowhere, Iowa, was what he always said, though the town was actually Riverside. Jo knew her father’s family was from Ireland, England, and Italy. Her mother’s family was from France and Germany. But where was Jim’s family from? Apparently, maybe Scotland.  
  
That was interesting.  
  
Another word that was interesting to her was one Tierney had used to describe who the man in the picture she’d emailed was.  _I call him oide, cause he’s not really my dad, though my ma’s been married to him since I was born._  She looked at the word, trying to imagine how it would be pronounced, and she couldn’t. Gaelic was just such a different-sounding language.  
  
Checking the time on the laptop, Jo did a quick calculation in her head. It was just about 5:00pm in Scotland right now. Nervous, but curious enough to push the nervousness away, she opened her email and sent a quick message to Tierney. She swallowed her nerves as she waited to see if she was even going to respond back, and went back to adding a few more pieces of information to the report. Before she could even really get into it, an email came through.  
  
Reading it quickly, Jo felt a rush of excitement. She only had minutes to set herself up. Standing, she unplugged the laptop and took it into the library, then went back to the family room and got her notebook and her breakfast. At the little desk, she plugged it in again, then also plugged in the microphone. She hesitated just a moment before logging in to McKinley’s student access account, and clicked through to the secure program that allowed the penpals to speak to each other. Mr. Sulu, the school’s IT guru (as he called himself) had come up with the program, and only kids with permission slips could use it. As she waited for her connection to be acknowledged, she took a second to try to smooth down her hair. Then, with shaking hands, she clicked on the icon and accepted Tierney’s invitation to videochat.  
  
_“Hi there, Joanna! It’s nice to put a face to the name!”_  
  
Forcing herself to raise her eyes to the camera, Jo couldn’t help but smile at the blonde girl looking back at her with such a friendly, open expression.  
  
“Hi, Tierney. It’s nice to meet you.”  
  
It was awkward at first, and Jo couldn’t really think of anything to say. But Tierney was a little older and, through their emails, got to know the person Jo really was. So she asked a couple of open-ended questions, helping to draw Jo into the conversation more until it was almost like they’d been actually talking for the last month, and not just emailing each other.  
  
As they chatted, Jim made his way down the hall and paused outside of the library door. It was only slightly open, and he could clearly hear that Jo was speaking to someone. Jim pushed it open a little more, looking in. Jo was sitting with her back to him, and he could see she was talking to someone on the computer. He nearly interrupted her, concerned about who she might be chatting with, until he heard Tierney speak, and then he smiled, feeling a rush of pride for the little girl he’d come to think of as his own. He knew she’d get there.  
  
Leaving her to it, he headed to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. Seeing that Bones left his laptop bag on a kitchen chair, he pulled the computer out, and then got a notepad and pen out of one of the drawers. After making himself a cup of coffee, he settled at the kitchen table and booted it up, thinking about where they should focus their search for a house. He knew it wasn’t necessarily going to be easy to find one, mostly because of what they wanted…not a row house.  
  
Bones couldn’t fathom the idea of leaving an apartment to live in a row house. Not that it wouldn’t be bigger and more roomy for them, but the idea of “living on top of people” with other houses on either side held no appeal to him at all. A “house” to Bones meant land  _and_  a house. And what he hadn’t been prepared for was the idea that property here pretty much just meant a house with a backyard, and very little extra space.  
  
On the other hand, they didn’t have to stay in the city. They could look at surrounding neighborhoods, and maybe find a little enclave of other transplants who had the same notions about their property. Driving into the city every day wouldn’t necessarily be fun, but it was totally do-able. The biggest concern was going to be Jo and school. So far, they’d been incredibly lucky with the control they’d had over their schedules, and they’d always been able to make pick up and drop off times work. But now, with even Jo’s schooling up in the air…it was kind of like trying to put a puzzle together without first knowing what the finished product even looked like.  
  
“Hey Darlin’. Thanks for getting the coffee ready,” Leonard said as he came into the kitchen. Jim smiled as Bones squeezed his shoulder and dropped a kiss on his head. He poured himself a cup and took a sip. “Delicious.”  
  
“No problem. You’re in a good mood this morning,” Jim said teasingly. Bones turned around, leaning against the counter and crossing his ankles, his coffee cup hiding a smile his eyes were giving away.  
  
“I slept very well last night…very relaxed,” he replied with a wink.  
  
Jim grinned. “Me too.”  
  
“What’re you lookin’ at?” Bones asked, nodding towards the open laptop.  
  
“Houses. I haven’t stopped thinking about it…it’s one of those things I didn’t even know I wanted till you brought it up.”  
  
“Darlin’, I love your enthusiasm, but we’re a long way from lookin’. We’ve got to get our finances in order first. Otherwise, what’s the point of lookin’ if we can’t afford what your lookin’ at?”  
  
“Eh. You worry about the finances. I want to look,” Jim replied with a shrug. Bones chuckled and ruffled his hair affectionately, then joined Jim at the table.  
  
“Jo was talking to her penpal,” Leonard said.  
  
Jim nodded. “Yeah, I heard her and peaked in earlier. I’m glad she finally got up the nerve.”  
  
“Me too. They sounded like they were having fun. It was good to hear.” He glanced at the clock on the oven. “You remember what time Jo’s supposed to be at Ella’s?”  
  
“Eleven, I think,” Jim replied. His cellphone rang, and Bones stood to get it for him off the counter where he’d left it to charge.  
  
“Don’t recognize the number,” he remarked as he handed it to Jim.  
  
Taking it, Jim shrugged. He didn’t recognize the number either.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
_“Good morning, Jim. This is Carol. Carol Marcus, from McKinley.”_  
  
Jim’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Uh, hi Carol,” Jim said, meeting Bones’ eyes. “Good morning. Um, what can I do for you?”  
  
Leonard looked up from reading Jim’s notes when he identified the caller, surprised that the guidance counselor would be so bold.  
  
_“I’m going to be out and about today, running errands for this and that, and wondered if you’d care to join me for lunch? I thought we could discuss some of those strategies you mentioned.”_  
  
“Uh, well…we’re kind of busy today,” Jim replied. He hesitated, then decided he needed to say something more definitive than that as Bones watched him have this conversation. “And I’d be happy to talk with you more about the different strategies, but I’d prefer to have that meeting during the week. If you send me an email, I can maybe try to arrange something within the next couple of weeks, and maybe we can open it up to anyone else who’s interested in it.”  
  
_”Oh…okay. I’ll, uh, I’ll send that email on Monday. Have a nice day today,”_  Carol replied, the confident tone gone from her voice.  
  
“Thanks, Carol. You too.”  
  
Jim disconnected, and set the phone down, looking up at Bones. “That was awkward,” he said.  
  
Leonard smiled, reaching with his foot under the table to gently knock Jim’s ankle. “I think you handled it fine,” he said. “Though I’m a little surprised she was so…direct. I mean, she knows we’re together.”  
  
Jim shrugged slightly. “She may have been completely innocent. Maybe I misconstrued.”  
  
“Maybe,” Leonard said. But he didn’t think so. He’d seen the way Carol looked at Jim. “But either way, you were professional and clear. If she did have any designs on you, that should put an end to it.”  
  
“Designs on me,” Jim repeated with a smile. “How can you be so old-fashioned, and such a cutting-edge neuro researcher at the same time?”  
  
“Practice, and sheer force of will,” Leonard replied drily.  
  
Jim chuckled and turned his attention back to the computer screen, clicking through a few listings.  
  
“I’d like to visit a realtor today,” Leonard said. “And get this whole process rolling.”  
  
Jim nodded. “I’ll call Sam. They really liked the person they worked with when they were buying their house.”  
  
“Good idea,” Leonard said. “I was just going to pick someone at random, but I like the idea of going through someone who’s already proven themselves.”  
  
“Hi Dad, hi Uncle Jim,” Joanna said, coming into the kitchen. “Uncle Jim, I put your laptop on the coffee table in the family room.”  
  
“Okay, thanks Jo.”  
  
“How was your chat with Tierney?” Leonard asked, holding out an arm to her. She joined them at the table, leaning against her father’s side as he curled his arm around her.  
  
“It was good,” she said. “I got some new information to add to the report.” She looked at Jim, and took a breath, almost as if she were going to say something. She didn’t though; just averting her eyes and flushing slightly.  
  
“That’s good, sweetie,” Jim said with an easy smile after a moment. “Do you have everything you need? We have to leave pretty soon.”  
  
“Yup. The report is on my flashdrive in my pocket, and my notes are in my backpack that I left on the couch,” Jo said.  
  
“Jim and I are going to run some errands while you’re working, so you call one of our cellphones when you’re ready to go, okay?”  
  
“Yup,” she said. “I should have a cellphone, too.”  
  
Leonard rolled his eyes. This was a conversation they had  _often_.  
  
“Not yet, Baby,” he said.  
  
“When?” she asked, not whining…but close.  
  
“When it’s time. Which is not today. Did you eat?”  
  
Joanna rolled her eyes, and Jim smiled slightly. There had been many versions of this conversation, and no one doubted there would be many more before Bones finally gave in.  
  
“I had a breakfast bar and some juice,” she replied.  
  
“Where’s your cup and wrapper?” Leonard asked.  
  
“In the library,” she admitted, slightly sheepishly. “I’ll go get it.”  
  
“Mm-hmm. And brush your teeth.”  
  
“Okay, be right back.”  
  
She skipped out of the kitchen to do her errands and Jim and Bones stood, too, retreating to their bedroom to finish getting ready before heading out.  
  
“I wonder what that was about.” Leonard said, referring to the uncharacteristic display of shyness towards Jim.  
  
He shrugged. “It kinda looked like she wanted to say something. We’ll have to see if she tries to bring it up again. So, meet with a realtor…maybe see some houses,” Jim said, knowing Leonard would give in if he really wanted. “What else are we doing today?”  
  
Leonard pulled on his shoes and shrugged. “I don’t know…an early lunch, since we skipped breakfast. Food shopping. We’ll see what else comes up. Why? You have something in mind?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jim replied. “I want to take a drive by Ryan’s house, just to see.”  
  
Leonard finished putting on his shoes and straightened, brow furrowing as he tried to put a memory to that name. Jim glanced at him before heading out of their bedroom, and Leonard followed. And then he realized who Jim was talking about.  
  
“Jim,” he said, reaching for and gently grasping Jim’s arm. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”  
  
He shrugged. “I can’t see how it could hurt. I just want to drive by and take a look at where he lives. It’s not like I’m going to knock on their door or anything.”  
  
Bones’ eyes narrowed as he looked at Jim. He sounded entirely too confident. He let go of Jim’s arm. “You do this all the time, don’t you? Go to students’ houses.”  
  
“Sometimes the only way to get people to really listen to you is to show up. A lot of the kids who end up referred to me don’t have the kind of parents who are interested enough, or even able to, take time out of the day for a school meeting.”  
  
“So you show up.”  
  
“Someone has to show up for these kids,” Jim said quietly.  
  
Leonard smiled fondly. “Well, Darlin’, they’re lucky you’re the one who shows up for them.”  
  
“It just never feels like it’s enough, Bones.”  
  
Ending the conversation, they entered the kitchen where Jo was waiting for them, and Jim picked his keys up from the counter.  
  
“Okay, kiddo…got your papers, your flashdrive, everything else you need?” Jim checked again, giving her ponytail a gentle tug.  
  
“Yup! I’m all ready!” Jo replied, and the three of them filed out of the apartment into the gray light of the foggy day.  
  
The drive to Ella’s was fairly short, and as they pulled over at the curb, Joanna could feel that familiar, heavy sensation start to drape itself over her again. She hardly realized it, but she reacted physically, hunching her shoulders slightly and lowering her head. Her insides tightened, making her feel like she wasn’t pulling full breaths. She could hear her father talking to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to look up, too caught up in the anxiety of going over to someone’s house who she really didn’t know – with adults she didn’t know at all.  
  
She was on the verge of asking them to make excuses for her…she could email Ella everything she needed. This…was just too much. She couldn’t do it. She thought she could, but she couldn’t.  
  
In the front seat, Leonard and Jim exchanged concerned glances. Leonard reached back and cupped her face, then gently gripped her small, strong shoulder.  
  
“It’s okay, Baby,” Leonard said. “You know Ella. She’s been to our house before.”  
  
“Daddy…I can’t--”  
  
“Come on, Jo,” Leonard said, firming his voice a little and interrupting what he knew she was about to say and opening his car door. “I’ll walk you in, talk to Mrs. Eberly and make sure you’re all settled, okay?” He didn’t wait for a response, but got out of the car and opened Jo’s door for her. He waited for a moment, but when Jo didn’t make any move to leave the car, Leonard squatted down so he could see her. “Jo, you made a commitment to your classmate. She’s counting on you, and both your grades depend on this project. So, come on now. Come on.”  
  
Reluctantly, Joanna stepped out of the car. Her dad was right. She knew her dad was right. She just didn’t know why stuff like this had to be so  _hard_  all the time. She slung her backpack on one shoulder, and held out her hand, silently asking for support.  
  
Proud of her for pushing through a bout of what he knew could be pretty debilitating shyness, Leonard took her small hand in his, giving her a squeeze. Jim watched from the car as they climbed the stairs, and Bones knocked on the door.  
  
Jo kept her eyes lowered, staring at the toes of her shoes, when the door opened.  
  
“Hi Leo, hi there Jo!” Lana Eberly greeted them. “Come on in. Ella’s already set up and working on the kitchen table.”  
  
“Hello Lana,” Leonard replied as he walked them into the bright, airy house. “Jo’s been making sure things are all in order and ready to go, haven’t you Jo?”  
  
Still unable to look up, Jo nodded.  
  
“Well, okay, then honey…why don’t you go into the kitchen with Ella. And later, we’ll maybe order something fun for lunch. How does that sound?” she asked kindly, familiar with Jo’s reticence, and not bothered by it.  
  
“Good, thank you,” Jo said quietly, she glanced up at Mrs. Eberly with a little smile, and Leonard was happy to see how hard she was trying. She turned to her father, giving him a hug. “I didn’t tell Uncle Jim good-bye.”  
  
“I’ll tell him for you, and we’ll see you in just a little while anyway, okay?”  
  
“Okay. Bye Daddy.”  
  
She turned and headed for the kitchen, and Lana smiled at Leonard.  
  
“She’s such a sweetie,” she said. “And so smart.”  
  
“Yeah, she’s a good girl, for sure,” Leonard said with a smile. “Jim and I are going to run some errands, and we both have our cells. Jo knows both numbers, so she can just give us a call whenever they’re done.”  
  
“Okay, no problem. I don’t expect what they’re doing will take too long, and Jo’s welcome to hang out here if you two need more time.”  
  
“Great, thank you,” Leonard said as she walked him back to the door. “See you soon.”  
  
Jim looked up from fiddling with the radio when Bones opened the passenger-side door.  
  
“Jo okay?” he asked.  
  
“Yeah, she’s fine. Every time it gets a little easier,” Leonard replied.  
  
Jim smiled. “Good. I hate to see her so uncomfortable.”  
  
“Hm. Tell me about it,” he said. “But she really did seem like she’d be able to settle in, and at least have a good day with Ella, even if she stays quiet around Lana. She’ll call us when she’s ready to come home.”  
  
Jim looked over at Leonard as he pulled away from the curb. “I think you handled her perfectly. And I think it’s good that you’re pushing her over stuff like this when she wants to pull away.”  
  
Leonard smiled, reaching to take Jim’s hand over the center console. “Well, there’s this child development specialist I get all my parenting advice from,” he said, giving him a wink. “So….what are we doing first?”  
  
“Well, I called Sam and got the name of the realtor they used. It’s a Coldwell Banker office across town, so I figured we could detour by Ryan’s house first.”  
  
Leonard hesitated before replying, still not sure about this course of action, despite the fact that he knew Jim had done things like that before.  
  
“I just want to look, Bones. Really,” Jim said. “I want to see what the neighborhood is like, and what his house is like. You’d be surprised how much insight you can get from just observing where someone spends the majority of their time.”  
  
“Okay,” Leonard said, recognizing that Jim was really set on this. “Let’s go.”  
  
“Thanks, Bones. Here, you navigate,” he said, handing Leonard the Mapquest directions.


	4. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This Part: Extended family comes for a visit, and Leonard realizes not all of Jim’s family are as accepting. Later, Bones and Jim enjoy some time alone, and Jim contemplates their status as a couple.

“Whose car is that?” Joanna asked as they pulled up to the Kirk household.  
  
“I think it’s Aurelan’s sister,” Jim said. “Did Sam mention they were coming?”  
  
“No,” Leonard replied. “I hope I made enough brownies. What’s her name again? Stef…”  
  
“Sefania,” Jim replied. “Her husband is Thom, and they have two sons, Drew and Alex. I haven’t seen them in, well…in quite a while.”  
  
Sefania and Thom lived a couple of hours away, in the picturesque, historical city of Auborn. They didn’t come down to San Francisco often, Sam and Aurelan took the girls up there a few times a year to visit, and Jim wondered what brought them here this weekend. He also wondered why Sam wouldn’t give him a head’s up. When they’d first met, over fifteen years ago, Jim found Sefania to be a little stuck up, and they just rubbed each other the wrong way. They always had. Although nothing was ever said, to Jim’s knowledge, he couldn’t help but wonder if some of her aloofness had to do with the fact that the Aurelan’s warm and complete acceptance of him didn’t extend across her whole family.  
  
Leonard eyed Jim from the driver’s seat. “Problem?”  
  
“Um…no,” Jim said, deciding that seven years was a long time. He was certainly willing to start over. “Just surprised. C’mon, let’s go see what’s up.”  
  
Knowing that there were unexpected people there, Joanna hung back, holding her father’s hand and standing slightly behind him as Jim knocked. A moment later, Kimmie opened the door for them.  
  
“Hi Uncle Jim! Hi Len! Come on in…Aunt Sef is here, too! Mom has…”  
  
“Hey…hi, hi...so good to see you guys,” Sam said, coming forward quickly. Kim glared at her father for interrupting her, but he just slung an arm around her lean shoulders.  
  
“Sam,” Jim said, giving him a brief hug. He moved aside when he felt Bones brush by him, Joanna still in tow. “What does Aurelan have?”  
  
“Eh, let’s discuss that later,” Sam said, smiling as his oldest daughter rolled her eyes.  
  
“I wasn’t going to say anything, Dad!” the teenager exclaimed, doing nothing to make Jim or Leonard less suspicious. “Uncle Jim, did you know that I’m getting my learner’s permit this month?” Kim asked excitedly.  
  
“You are?!” Jim exclaimed. “That can’t be right…”  
  
“Oh, it’s right,” Sam assured him. “She’s been marking the days off on the calendar. Hi, Leonard, sorry….let me take those brownies. Hi Jo. How are you honey?” he asked, putting a hand on her head in greeting.  
  
“I’m fine, thanks,” she replied, glancing up at him.  
  
“Guess what she calls me now?” Jim asked his brother, a proud smile on his face.  
  
“What?” Sam asked, and all of the adults looked at her. Finding herself suddenly on the spot, she flushed deeply. Twisting her hands together nervously, she stepped backwards towards the staircase that lead upstairs. Kim took pity on her and rolled her eyes.  
  
“Come on, Jo…Janie’s in her room.” She pulled away from her father and took Jo’s hand, leading her away from them. Jo happily followed her, relieved to be away from the attention.  
  
“What does she call you?” Sam asked, eyeing his brother as they moved into the empty kitchen.  
  
“Oide,” Jim replied. “It means step-father in Gaelic.”  
  
Sam’s eyebrows raised on his forehead in surprise. “Step-father, huh?” He looked between the two men. “Is there something I need to know about, you two?”  
  
Jim laughed and Leonard flushed slightly. “No – well, not that…it’s a word she learned during a school penpal project,” Leonard explained.  
  
“Yeah, she said I don’t ‘feel’ like Uncle Jim anymore, and oide feels right. How cool is that?” he asked, a huge smile on his face.  
  
“That is pretty cool,” Sam said, happy to see his younger brother so obviously happy. “I’m glad you guys could come today. So, if it wasn’t  _that_  do you have other news to tell?”  
  
Jim and Leonard glanced at each other, and Leonard shrugged.  
  
“Well…yes. But we’ll talk about it later. What’s up with the other side of the family?” Jim asked, referring to Sefania’s presence. Sam turned away to put the brownies under the cake plate for later, but not before Jim saw his guilty expression.  
  
“Yeah…sorry I didn’t mention it. I kinda forgot when Leonard answered your phone, but then Aurelan asked that I didn’t. I think she was worried you wouldn’t come.”  
  
Jim was puzzled, and he exchanged a quick glance with Leonard. “Of course I would come…but, Sam…what’s going on? You guys have something to announce?” he asked, remembering the way Sam had quickly cut off Kim at the door.  
  
“Yeah, we have some news,” he replied cryptically, his eyes smiling. “Everyone’s outside…we’re going to eat out there – Thom is grilling. You two grab some drinks for yourself…we’ve got water, sodas and beer in the fridge…and go on out. I’ll get the girls, before someone slips and gives away the secret,” Sam said with a wink. He left the kitchen, and Leonard turned to Jim.  
  
“Tell me the deal with Aurelan’s sister,” Leonard said. Jim shrugged and pulled open the fridge, grabbing a soda for himself.  
  
“Want one?” Jim asked.  
  
“I’ll take a water.”  
  
Jim handed him the water and popped open his can. “There’s nothing really to tell,” Jim said. “Sefania is…or was, anyway, a little stuck up. I just didn’t care for her very much, and the feeling was mutual.”  
  
Leonard twisted the cap of his water back and forth, looking at Jim speculatively. “That’s it? Seven years ago, you two didn’t like each other?”  
  
“Well, yeah. Seems stupid now, but we first met about fifteen years ago, and didn’t like each other then, either. I just thought she was a snob, and that maybe she didn’t like me because she was a homophobe. She never said anything to make me think that, but I was pretty defensive back then, and pretty much thought if anyone had a problem with me it was because I was gay. Even if I was being a jerk, too.”  
  
“Were you a jerk to her?” Leonard asked.  
  
Jim shrugged. “Yeah…I probably could’ve been nicer. She just comes across so prim and proper, I would sometimes try to get a rise out of her on purpose. But I was a stupid kid back then. I’m sure she’s changed a lot, too.”  
  
Just then, the sound of feet pounding down the stairs alerted them that Sam had successfully extricated the children from the room.  
  
“Well, let’s go say hi,” Leonard said.  
  
The weather was better today than it had been over the last couple. It was warmer, and without the rain. It wasn’t swimming pool weather, but it was nice enough that the kids could play a version of kickball on the lawn, adapted for their limited number of five players. Leonard watched as Jo kicked the ball and lost a shoe. Laughing, she ran towards the plastic chair that was serving as one of the bases, ducking the ball that Alex threw at her, arms over her head. He tensed when she tripped and fell, but she popped up right away, brushing grass off of herself and calling for a timeout so she could get her shoe back.  
  
“She’s a lovely girl,” Sefania said.  
  
“Thank you,” Leonard replied smiling.  
  
“And tough,” she continued. “A little tomboy. I wonder if that’s because of the influence of two men and no mother?”  
  
And though there wasn’t inherently insulting in that question, Leonard gritted his teeth and took a second to edit what was in his head. He’d met this woman fifteen minutes ago. It was entirely possible she actually just was completely tactless. Jim, in his periphery, shook his head just slightly and Leonard was sure he was rolling his eyes behind sunglasses he wore.  
  
“Maybe,” Bones answered as nonchalantly as he could manage. “Though when she was little she was as happy bringing frogs and snakes into the house as she was playing with kittens. Remember that, Jim?” Leonard asked, looking over at him. “The snake? She did that all on her own, for sure.”  
  
“Oh, God, don’t remind me,” Jim said, grimacing. Very, very early on in their relationship – the day after their first date, as a matter of fact – Joanna’d let a garden snake loose in the apartment, and Jim had woken to her searching the room for it. There weren’t many things Jim was actually afraid of, but snakes were one of them, and he’d had a hard time being in that apartment for days afterwards. Bones had finally assured him that they’d found the snake and put it back outside, but Jim had his doubts about whether or not that was actually true. Self-preservation kept him from asking.  
  
Leonard chuckled at the memory, reaching to squeeze Jim’s arm affectionately. Jim smiled and turned to look at Aurelan as she came out of the house carrying a big salad bowl.  
  
“So, what’s the news Sis?” he asked. “Janie is obviously watching every word that comes out of her mouth every time she says anything.”  
  
Aurelan shook her head and smiled. “All in good time, Jim. The kids know what’ll happen to them if they slip up. How’re you doing over there, Thom? Almost ready?”  
  
“Yeah, we’re all set…Call in the children,” he said.  
  
Leonard and Aurelan herded the kids into the house to clean up, and Jim took a moment to run to the bathroom as well. He was keeping it to himself, but he was afraid the news was going to be that they were moving. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Sam had accepted a promotion that would necessitate the family moving. It had almost happened once before. The thing was, though, Sam was his only family.  
  
If Sam moved far – across the state, out of state – he’d be alone. Not…completely alone, of course. He had his own family with Leonard and Jo. But he and Sam were the only members of their family left. Neither of their parents had had brothers or sisters, so they didn’t have cousins, aunts, or uncles. Sam and Jim Kirk were it.  
  
He dried his hands and left the bathroom, letting out a breath. Whatever it was, he’d deal with it.  _And I have Bones and Jo. As long as I have them…_  
  
“Hey, there you are,” Leonard said, finding Jim in the short hallway where the half-bath was. “You okay?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Leonard grasped his wrist, tugging him close. He put his other hand on Jim’s shoulder, taking a second to give him a brief hug.  
  
“Worried?”  
  
Jim hesitated, considered denying it, and then realized that was stupid. Bones knew him too well.  
  
“A little. I’m afraid they’re moving.”  
  
Leonard nodded. That thought had been in his mind too. “Well, we’ll just have to wait to see what they say. Maybe it’s something completely different.”  
  
Feeling a little better that he wasn’t alone with this concern, they joined everyone else outside.  
  
“There you are!” Aurelan exclaimed. “Come on, grab a burger or hotdog, and take a seat.”  
  
“Daddy, sit here,” Joanna said, patting a chair beside her.  
  
“And Uncle Jim can sit here,” Janie piped up. “So you can sit next to each other!”  
  
After a few minutes of passing food, handing out napkins, pouring drinks, and generally just making themselves comfortable at the table with full plates, everyone tried the burgers and complimented the cook. Conversations happened around the table, with Janie filling in her cousins about everything under the sun. Joanna didn’t contribute much, preferring to sit quietly and let Janie do the talking, but she looked happy as she ate bites of pineapple and grapes from the fruit salad, eating around the melon. Kim, the oldest of the group at 15, was talking to her Aunt Sef about her plans to get her driver’s permit in the next few months.  
  
“So, Aurelan,” Thom said, after a few minutes. “Have we waited long enough?”  
  
“Long enough for…” she said teasingly.  
  
“YES! Yes, we’ve waited long enough! C’mon Mama! Can we tell? Can we tell now?” Janie asked excitedly, blue eyes wide and cheeks flushed. She pulled her legs under her and kneeled up in her seat, practically bouncing with her desire to spill the beans.  
  
“Whoa, Janie, careful,” Jim said, steadying her chair. He looked up at Aurelan, amusement in his eyes. “Aurelan, seriously. She’s, like, going to explode.”  
  
“Okay, okay,” she said. “I think we’ve built up the suspense enough.” She and Sam exchanged very impish glances – and in that second, Jim knew. He’d seen that look before. Twice. “Ready kids? One, two, three….”  
  
“WE’RE PREGNANT!” Sam, Aurelan, Janie and Kimmie yelled in unison. There was a stunned silence for about two seconds, and then everyone was up and reaching for each other, hugging, saying congratulations, question after question piling up, until Aurelan held up her hands and urged everyone to take a seat.  
  
Janie, ever the showgirl, slumped down in her seat, resting her head on the back with an arm thrown across her eyes, gasping as if she’d been holding her breath.  
  
Sam saw and rolled his eyes at his (not any longer youngest) child. “Feel better, Janie?” he asked with a chuckle.  
  
“Yes!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t think I was gonna make it!”  
  
Everyone laughed, and Leonard turned to the happy couple. “How did you get them to keep that quiet?”  
  
“Diaper duty. I now have the ultimate bargaining chip, or threat, as needed,” Aurelan replied.  
  
“Yeah, I’ll babysit, but I don’t do diapers,” Kim added.  
  
Janie rolled her eyes at her big sister. “ _I’m_  going to be the babysitter! You already had your chance with me! C’mon Jo….let’s go play the Wii!”  
  
“I wanta too. Can I come?” Alex asked.  
  
“Me too, can I be excused Mom?” Drew chimed in.  
  
“Sure,” Sefania replied. “Play nice, everyone.”  
  
Kim sat with the adults for a few more minutes, but then got involved with her phone, and  
  
“That’s probably Tyler she’s texting,” Sam grumbled.  
  
“So?” Aurelan asked, winking at Jim.  
  
“So…I don’t like it!”  
  
“Tyler is Kim’s not-quite-boyfriend,” Aurelan explained. “Lighten up, dear.”  
  
Sam blew out an annoyed breath and Jim chuckled.  
  
“Don’t you laugh. You two have it coming, you know!” Sam said, leveling a finger at Leonard and Jim.  
  
“So, guys…” Jim started, happy the kids were gone. “How did this happen? I mean, didn’t you decide to, uh, close up shop?”  
  
“Yeah, we did,” Aurelan replied. “I had a tubal when I had Janie. We thought we were done.”  
  
“But….what? It didn’t work?” Thom asked.  
  
“It fails in an average of 4 per 1,000 women,” Leonard said.  
  
“Yup,” Aurelan agreed. “It certainly does.”  
  
Jim looked at Leonard with a perplexed expression. “How do you just have that stat in your head? It’s not even your area.”  
  
“When are you due?” Sefania asked.  
  
“Well, that’s the fun thing…I’m due May 30.”  
  
Everyone was quiet for a moment while they worked that out in their heads.  
  
“But that means…you’re five months already?” Jim asked. “You’ve known for  _five_  months?”  
  
“No, we didn’t know!” Sam exclaimed. He took his wife’s hand and looked at her with a smile. “She’d been maybe a little off lately, a little more tired than usual, but we all thought it was just that she’s been so busy…”  
  
“And I wasn’t sick. I didn’t have the same morning sickness as I did with the girls,” Aurelan added. “Everything seemed, well…normal. Normal for me.”  
  
“Well, this is just…amazing! I’m so happy for you, I could cry!” Sefania said, and she got up to give her sister another hug. “How’d you find out?”  
  
Aurelan laughed and turned pink, and Sam rolled his eyes at her, taking a moment to affectionately cup her cheek. “About a week ago, we were sitting in bed watching something,” he said. “And it was like, after midnight already, and all of a sudden, she’s like, ‘Hon, can you make me some banana pancakes? I’m starving.’“  
  
“The only time I ever wanted banana pancakes was when I was pregnant. And it just popped out of my mouth…I wasn’t even thinking it about it!” Aurelan added. “And as soon as I said it, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m pregnant!’”  
  
Everyone chuckled, and Jim asked, “So did Sam make you those banana pancakes?”  
  
“Yeah, I did…but first I went to the 24-hour Walgreens to get her a pregnancy test. I wanted proof!”  
  
“So, you’ve been to your doctor?” Leonard asked. “Everything okay?”  
  
“Yeah, you don’t pregnant at all,” Jim added.  
  
Aurelan nodded. “Jim, you’re sweet, but yes I do. I thought I was just gaining weight. I was so relieved when it turned out the reason my clothes didn’t fit right was because of a baby. And, yes, Leonard. I went to the doctor the next day, and everything seems fine, for having gone five months without any kind of care. I mean, thank God we didn’t go to Disneyland. I would’ve gone all the rides without even a second thought.”  
  
“So….boy or girl?” Sefania asked. “Do you know?”  
  
“It’s a boy,” Sam said quietly, and everyone heard loud and clear the incredible love in his voice. Jim knew his brother would love another little girl just as much. But this baby…this little miracle no one was expecting or wishing for, this  _gift_ …answered a prayer Sam had never even spoken out loud.  
  
Sefania asked about a baby shower, and as the girls chatted, Jim found himself looking speculatively at Bones.  
  
Seeing his brother settle with the idea of another baby – a baby he never even knew he wanted until it was in his wife’s womb – Jim had the thought that this must’ve been a lot like how Bones had looked eleven years ago…all of a sudden completely enraptured with the idea of a baby he hadn’t even realized he wanted. How heartbreaking it must’ve been for him, to realize that his wife didn’t feel the same.  
  
Feeling Jim’s gaze on him, Leonard looked over and quirked an eyebrow, and Jim smiled slightly. Sitting close enough to reach each other, Leonard stretched an arm out over the back of Jim’s chair and gently squeezed the back of his neck, fingers rubbing small, soothing circles and sliding through the short hair.  
  
“And how about you two?” Sam asked at a lull in the conversation.  
  
“Hm?” Jim refocused his attention on his brother.  
  
“You guys had some news of your own, didn’t you?” Sam asked.  
  
“Uh, well…nothing as big as yours,” Jim said. “But…” Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, he looked over at Bones who raised an eyebrow and gave him a little nod. Looking back at the others at the table, he said, “We’ve decided to buy a house together.”  
  
“Oh, that so wonderful!” Aurelan exclaimed.  
  
“About time,” Sam said. “I was wondering when you were going to start talking about that.”  
  
Leonard shrugged. “It was time. The apartment was great for a while, but they keep raising the damn rent, and I realized that it was edging up to what a mortgage payment could possibly be. And we need more room.”  
  
“But…buying a house…together?” Sefania said hesitantly. “Jim, can you afford a mortgage payment on a school district salary by yourself? What if something happens?”  
  
“Sef…” Sam said quietly.  
  
“Well, practically speaking, that’s a good point,” Thom said. “Paying for a house is much more than just a mortgage. And it’s not like you could work something out in a divorce. You’re just two individual people pooling your money together. If one of you decides to leave, for whatever reason, you could both be screwed.”  
  
Instead of rising to Sefania’s bait, Jim reminded himself he was a grown-up now and side-stepped her not-very-subtle dig at his career choice. “Actually, we’re using the realtor Sam and Aurelan used when buying this place, and she’s going to put us in touch with an attorney to help us work through some of those issues.”  
  
“I can’t see either of us leavin’ any time soon…or, ever,” Leonard added, taking his cue from Jim and keeping his annoyance at Sef under tight wraps. “But there’s no harm in makin’ sure we’re both covered in case anything ever happened.”  
  
“Well, I think it’s awesome!” Aurelan said happily. “Where are you guys looking?”  
  
“We’re open to the where…what’s tricky is what we’re looking  _for_ ,” Jim said. “Bones is picky.”  
  
Later that night, back at home, Jim did the walk through the apartment, turning off lights as he went. It wasn’t particularly late, but after an afternoon of running around and playing, Jo was tired and was fighting to keep her eyes open as she read in bed. Jim was still thrilled at the thought of becoming an uncle again, to his brother’s little boy, this time. And the good news of the day completely overshadowed the slightly sour notes from Sefania. She hadn’t changed much, Jim thought, but she also didn’t seem as bad as she was when they’d first met. Being married and having a couple of kids had mellowed her out a bit.  
  
Jim headed down the hall, stopping at Jo’s slightly open door.  
  
“Hey, Jo,” he said quietly, coming in to her room.  
  
Jo put her book down, and Jim tilted his head to read the title of the well-worn paperback.  _The Witch of Blackbird Pond_.  
  
“Again?” he asked, settling on the edge of her bed.  
  
She smiled, shrugging. “It’s one of my favorites. Can you believe Aurelan is having another baby? I can’t wait to see him. Do you think she’ll let me babysit? Well, I mean, if Janie or Kimmie doesn’t want to one day?”  
  
“Sweetie, I’m sure Aurelan will be thrilled to have you help with the baby,” Jim said, not bothering to get into why an eleven year old wouldn’t necessarily be Aurelan’s first choice for a babysitter. Though, Jo would be twelve soon after the baby was born, anyway.  
  
Suddenly, Jo reached her arms out to him, and hugged him tightly. “Are you ever sorry you didn’t get one of your own?” she asked.  
  
“My own, what? Baby?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“I kinda did…I got you!” Jim said, pulling away to look at her, and surprised by the question. Looking so much like her father, Jo rolled her eyes at him.  
  
“I was  _five_ , oide, not a baby!”  
  
Jim smiled at the use of his new title. “Five is the perfect age. You’re already talking…you were already reading – though that’s a little unusual…you were out of diapers, didn’t need a baby carriage, didn’t spit your food out….”  
  
Jo laughed as Jim ticked off the reasons he was happy with exactly who he had.  
  
“No, Jo…I don’t need a baby. I had you, and you’re perfect.”  
  
Jo smiled, then covered her mouth as it quickly turned into a yawn.  
  
“Sleepy?” Jim asked, taking the book and tucking her bookmark into place.  
  
She nodded. “Yeah, long day.”  
  
“You did play hard today. Here, lay down…” He got up so she could shift and slide down in her bed. He brought her blanket up and kissed her forehead. “Want me to get your dad?”  
  
She nodded. “Yeah. We have someone new to add to our prayers.”  
  
“Yes, we do. I’ll get your dad…have a good night’s sleep, sweetie.”  
  
“You too, oide.”  
  
Jim left the room blowing a kiss to her, and she copied him, giggling.  
  
“Hey, Bones,” Jim said, coming into their bedroom. Leonard was sitting on the bed, and looked up from the laptop. “Jo’s turning in. She wants you.”  
  
“Okay, thanks,” he replied, putting aside the laptop. Jim pulled his shirt over his head, and Leonard was there to take it from him. “What’re you doing later?” he asked suggestively.  
  
“You mean, five minutes from now?” Jim asked with smile, settling his hands on Leonard’s hips. He leaned forward, brushing his lips across Leonard’s.  
  
“Mmm…mm-hmm,” he hummed in reply, bringing a hand up to cup Jim’s cheek as they kissed.  
  
Jim ran a hand through Leonard’s thick hair. “Want to meet me in the shower?”  
  
“Sounds perfect. See you there.”  
  
They parted, and Leonard went to tuck Joanna in, hesitating in her doorway when he heard her murmuring to herself. She’d fallen into the habit of saying prayers at bedtime when she was a younger child, and though she didn’t do it every night, Leonard wasn’t surprised to hear her finishing them up tonight.  
  
They all had a lot to be thankful for.  
  
When he heard her finish, he pushed her bedroom door open. “Hey Darlin’,” he said.  
  
“Hi Daddy,” she said, reaching her arms out for him. He came to her side, and leaned into a big hug. “Can I tell you something?”  
  
“Of course. You can always tell me anything,” he said, pulling away and taking one of her little hands in his. “What’s up?”  
  
“I heard you and oide talking to Aurelan about finding a house, and I just wanted to say that if having a house means that I might have to change schools, I’m okay with that.”  
  
Taken completely aback by Joanna’s pronouncement, Leonard’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, really? You’re okay with that?”  
  
“Well, it’s not like I won’t miss my friends, or my teachers. But I think I would be okay in a new school…don’t you think so?”  
  
“Oh, yes…I  _know_  you’d be more than okay, Darlin’…” He hesitated, then decided to be straight with her. “But I was worried you’d have a hard time adjusting in the beginning.”  
  
Jo shrugged, lowering her eyes self-consciously for a moment. “I might, a little. It’s hard to talk to people, and I don’t always feel like I fit in with the other kids. But…I don’t know. It might be good to try something different.”  
  
Leonard looked at his daughter carefully, hearing something important in that statement. “Are you bored in school, Jo?”  
  
Jo shrugged, meeting his eyes again. “Maybe a little. I feel like I spend a lot of time reading by myself and waiting.”  
  
“Waiting? For what, Darlin’?”  
  
“Waiting for the teachers to get me other work. Or for the other kids to finish going over stuff.”  
  
“Hm. Well, I’m glad you told me all that, Jo. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thank you for being honest about how you feel about it.”  
  
Jo nodded. “I think it’ll be really good when we have our own house. You, me, and oide.”  
  
Leonard smiled. “That sounds excellent to me, too.” He leaned down to kiss her, and give her a squeeze. “I love you so much, Baby.”  
  
“Love you too, Daddy.”  
  
He smoothed her hair back from her face, and pulled her blanket up higher. “You warm enough?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m good.”  
  
“Okay. Get some sleep, and we’ll see you in the morning.”  
  
“’Kay. Goodnight, Daddy.” She turned on her side, and Leonard stood, snapping off her bedside lamp.  
  
“G’night Baby.” He closed her bedroom door quietly, and stood there, thinking for a moment. It seemed he may have underestimated his little girl. Looking at the options the guidance counselor had provided seemed like a more prudent thing to do now. He made a note to himself to set aside time with Jim to really go over the school options during the coming week.  
  
For now, though, Jim was waiting for him. He let himself back into his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He could hear the water running in the bathroom already. Looking forward to sharing a hot shower with Jim, he quickly undressed and collected Jim’s discarded clothes with his own and dropped them in the hamper.  
  
Naked, he entered the steamy bathroom, taking a moment to observe Jim’s form behind the fogged shower glass. He felt the familiar stirrings of arousal as he slipped into the shower behind him, the clean scent of the soap he’d used filling the space.  
  
“Hey,” Jim said, turning around with a smile. “She all set?”  
  
“Yeah…time for us,” he replied, moving to embrace Jim.  
  
“Mmm…my favorite time.”  
  
They kissed, and Leonard’s hands smoothed down Jim’s back to his ass. Jim made a little noise in the back of his throat as Leonard squeezed and pulled him flush to his body. They fit together perfectly, the heat from Jim’s wet skin feeling incredible as Leonard held him tightly. Ending the kiss, Jim smoothed a hand over Leonard’s hair, down the curve of his neck and held him around his shoulders. He gasped against the skin of his neck when he Leonard slid a hand down his body and gently cupped his hardening arousal.  
  
“Bones…that feels so good,” he murmured as Leonard closed his hand over him and stroke gently. “Hand me the soap. It’s my turn with you,” Jim said.  
  
Leonard smiled and did what Jim said, handing him the bar of soap and a washcloth. Jim lathered it up and drew his hands over Leonard’s chest, down his belly, and made him close his eyes and groan when he drew his soapy hands over him, encouraging his hardness as he stroked a couple of times, slowly, teasingly. Leonard groaned again as Jim slid his hands away and around his back, spreading the soap and laughing quietly at his frustrated expression.  
  
Leonard shivered when Jim gently bit his ear. “Turn around,” Jim whispered. Goosebumps raising all over his body, Leonard did as he was told. Jim pressed himself against him, his hard cock against Bones’ ass, as he tongued and kissed Bones’ neck. His hands traveled up and down the strong torso, and though the sound of falling water obscured the small sounds Bones was making, Jim was pressed so closely to him, he could feel them. His soapy hands rubbed down Bones’ stomach again, and Jim took his hard length in hand.  
  
Bones hands clenched into fists and tipped his head forward, resting his forehead against the tiles as Jim touched him, making him moan and shiver.  
  
And then, all of a sudden, Jim’s hands were gone, and the warm weight against his back disappeared.  
  
“Jim, god…” he moaned, toes curling against the floor of the shower. “I was getting so close.”  
  
“Too close,” Jim said with a chuckle. “Let’s finish up in here…I want you in bed so I can concentrate.”  
  
Jim’s voice held promise of incredible things to come, so Leonard gathered his wits back around him and stood on his own, taking just a few more minutes to finish washing himself. Stepping out of the shower, they both dried each other quickly, teasing and kissing as they dragged towels over their bodies.  
  
“Mmm,” Jim hummed into a kiss as they wound their arms around each other, bodies pressing together urgently. “Bed.”  
  
He walked them back through the bedroom, breathing hard when the kiss ended, both from breathlessness and from the sheer, incredible pleasure of feeling so much desire and  _being_  desired in the same way. That their physical connection to and with each other had never waned, in all the years they’ve had so far, was just incredible to Jim. He loved the way Bones looked at him every day, ever since the first time they were together completely and fully. He never doubted his worth in Bones’ eyes.  
  
And times like this, when they could lock the rest of the world out of their relationship and just revel in the two of them…these were the times they both cherished.  
  
At the bed they kissed again, Leonard slid his hands into Jim’s hair, pulling him even closer. “You feel so good,” Bones murmured. “Mmm.” They wrapped their arms around each other, hands tracing up and down the other’s back.  
  
“Lie down for me?” Jim said against his lips. “On your stomach.”  
  
Bones kissed him again, then did as Jim asked. Jim followed him down, kissing a line down his spine, hands kneading as he went, until he was at Bones’ ass, and he used his thumbs to gently spread his cheeks apart. Bones squirmed underneath him, pressing his hard length into the mattress, arousal coursing through him, making his muscles tremble as he felt Jim trace his tongue down the center of his back, all the way down…and pull away right before touching the exquisitely sensitive muscular ring.  
  
“Ah, fuck, Jim,” Leonard groaned, raising his shoulders and pressing his hips down. He closed his hands into fists on the pillow under him, as Jim chuckled. Jim swiped his tongue across Bones’ balls, started kissing his way back up his body, his tongue touching and licking the whole way up. “Oooh, you’re such a tease.”  
  
Unable to take it another second, Leonard turned over under Jim. Chuckling, Jim kissed Leonard, settling his body down and against him. “Impatient,” Jim chided teasingly.  
  
“Damn right,” he said, his voice low and rough. Leonard arched under him as much as he could, wrapping his legs around Jim, forcing them to rub together.  
  
Jim’s hands tightened on his shoulders, then he squirmed free and made his way back down the front of Bones’ body, kissing and sucking as he went until he reached the tip of Bones’ hard cock where it arched over his belly. Leonard groaned as Jim circled the sensitive head with his tongue, then closed his lips over him and sucked. Jim held his hips, gently keeping them pressed down as he swiped his tongue back and forth on the underside, making Bones shudder and groan, hands clenching the sheets.  
  
Jim looked up Bones’ body, his eyes smiling as he used his tongue and lips to make him writhe and curse under his breath. He took a little more of Bones in his mouth, bobbing his head slightly. Bones couldn’t stay still like that and brought his knees up, feet flat on the mattress as he lost control of his hips and pumped before managing to stop himself with a groan. He reached down, gently cupping Jim’s head, fingers sliding through Jim’s hair, wanting to make sure he was okay.  
  
Jim hummed his reassurance, then pulled off, gathering some of the spit and precum on his fingers before sliding them down between Leonard’s cheeks, and carefully pushing into Bones’ body. Leonard bucked as Jim came into contact with his prostate, and he chuckled, loving how reactive Bones was…how  _vocal_  he was.  
  
Jim was relentless, brushing his finger over that perfect spot inside of him while his thumb brushed back and forth across the sensitive skin behind his balls, and then also taking Bones back into his mouth, tongue swirling around the tip.  
  
Caught between Jim’s fingers and his mouth, Bones’ muscles tensed and released as he shook, his hips moving out of his control more often before he managed to make himself stop.  
  
“Oh, Jim…please…” he panted, tugging gently at Jim’s hair as he tried to deal with the intense sensations coursing through him. “I can’t take it.”  
  
Jim pulled off of him long enough to say, “Come for me, Bones.” Then he took Bones back in his mouth and doubled his efforts, sucking and tonguing while using his fingers to stroke that perfect spot in him without pause.  
  
Afraid of hurting Jim, Bones held the sheets instead of his hair, fisting the material. He grunted and his chest heaved as he struggled to press his hips up against Jim’s hold. Jim listened as his gasps and groans got more and more desperate until, finally, he went still… arched, shaking, clenching his teeth around cries he couldn’t completely suppress, Jim sucked him through his orgasm, swallowing as he spurted until his body relaxed and his clenched fists opened.  
  
Bones shuddered as Jim pulled off of him with another lick, and then carefully removed his fingers from deep inside. Looking at the gorgeous man spread out beneath him, Jim took one of Bones’ slack hands and kissed his way back up his body, pausing to rest his head on Bones’ chest, listening to his racing heart.  
  
Leonard wrapped his arms around Jim’s back and hugged him, threading his fingers through Jim’s hair. He could feel Jim’s hardness against him, and he drew his legs up in clear invitation. Jim looked up at him, meeting his eyes with smile as he raised himself up on his knees, and guided himself inside of Bones’ tight heat. They both groaned, and Jim leaned down to kiss him as Leonard held him, drawing his hands up and down Jim’s back.  
  
“Love you,” he whispered.  
  
“Mmm, love you more,” Jim replied quietly against his ear.  
  
They moved languidly together, Leonard whispered to Jim everything he was feeling, how beautiful he was, how perfect…and Jim was breathless as he lost himself in Bones.  
  
Leonard drew his legs up, holding him tightly and urging him deeper, watching as a becoming flush spread over him and down his body. He was grunting with every thrust in, and Leonard could feel he was getting close. Bones urged Jim on, reaching down to pinch his nipples, then slid his hands around to squeeze Jim’s ass.  
  
Gasping harshly, Jim dropped his head down to rest against Bones’ shoulder, then suddenly went still, squeezing his eyes closed and gently biting as his orgasm roared through him, its intensity and suddenness stealing his voice and freezing him in place.  
  
Bones held him through it, whispering to him and stroking his back comfortingly as he slowly came back to himself. After a few minutes, Jim relaxed in Bones’ arms, and the turned so they were on their sides, facing each other. One leg over Jim’s hip, tucked against each other perfectly, they drifted, still connected, too caught up in the perfect moment to want to change a thing.  
  
Eventually, though, they did get up and spend a few moments rearranging themselves and the blankets. Once settled, they stayed close, holding each other and trading kisses. Jim ran his hand through Bones’ hair and smiled.  
  
“You’re going to have a serious case of bed head in the morning,” he whispered.  
  
Bones quirked an eyebrow and gently tugged at a piece of Jim’s hair. “Like you’re any better.”  
  
Jim chuckled and kissed him again, trailing his fingers down Bones’ bare back to where the sheet was draped over his waist.  
  
“Mmm,” Bones hummed contentedly. He reached an arm around Jim, and held him in a hug, then pulled back enough to run his fingers through the hair at his temple. Jim looked into Bones’ eyes, then caught his hand and held it between them, against his chest.  
  
“Somethin’ on your mind, Darlin’?” Leonard asked, bringing their joined hands up to kiss Jim’s knuckles.  
  
He smiled and rolled his eyes. “How do you do that?” he asked. “How do you always know?”  
  
Leonard shrugged with one shoulder. “I know you. I can see when you’re thinking. What are you thinking about?”  
  
Jim hesitated, lowering his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell Bones what he was thinking about. He wasn’t sure if his reaction to Sam’s teasing question about their status was because he didn’t even want to think about it, or because it was something he thought Jim wasn’t ready to contemplate…  
  
 _Sam’s eyebrows raised on his forehead in surprise. “Step-father, huh?” He looked between the two men. “Is there something I need to know about, you two?”_  
  
Bones had flushed and laughed it off. So had Jim, for the most part. But the thought…the possibility of it…marriage…had stayed with him.  
  
“Jim?”  
  
Blinking, Jim smiled again and just shook his head. “Nothing in particular. There’s just so much going on in our lives now…I just feel so… _blessed_  lucky – so damn lucky – that I have you.”  
  
Leonard held Jim’s gaze for another second. He could tell that wasn’t everything, but if Jim didn’t want to get into it now…  
  
Leonard kissed him again, slow and deep, and gently framed Jim’s face with his hand, stroking softly over his cheekbone. Jim’s hands moved over Bones’ body, and he moved a leg to rest over Bones’, rubbing his calf with his foot. They parted, breathing quickened as they pressed their foreheads together and stayed close.  
  
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me and Jo,” Bones said quietly. “You’re my best friend and my partner in everything we do. I wouldn’t want to change a thing.”  
  
And though Jim knew Bones meant those words in the best, most sincere way possible, a little bit of him felt just the smallest twinge of disappointment. But then it passed, cause really…. what did a piece of paper matter?  
  
What they had was perfect.


	5. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work is taking its toll on Leonard and Jim, in more ways than one. Leonard touches upon Jim’s deep-seated insecurities regarding drinking, and though they are trying to reconnect with each other, Sam realizes that something is up. In the meantime, Janie has been experiencing some troubling symptoms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My medical knowledge is limited to what I can Google. The information about the results from the thalidomide study can be found here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19733563

Leonard let himself into the mostly dark apartment, and his eyes immediately went to the illuminated digital clock above the stove.  
  
Nearly ten – time had gotten away from him and he’d left the hospital a lot later than he’d meant to. Again.  
  
“Bones?” Jim’s voice came from the direction of the family room.  
  
“Yeah, Jim, I’m home. Sorry I’m so late.”  
  
Jim entered the kitchen and turned on the lights, watching as Leonard put his briefcase down on a chair and  
loosened his tie.  
  
“It’s okay…been a real busy week, huh?”  
  
Leonard sighed, a hand passing over his eyes.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Want to talk about it?”  
  
“No, not really."  
  
Jim pressed his lips together worriedly. Whatever had been going on at work for Bones over the last few days obviously wasn’t getting better, and it was taking its toll on him, and Jim didn’t know what to do. He was used to them being there for each other, but at some point Bones had decided that he didn’t feel like explaining things to him. It was hard, and frustrating, but instead of pushing, Jim decided to be as supportive as possible in other ways, trusting that Bones would come back to him.  
  
“I’ve got a plate of dinner for you ready to be warmed up in the fridge. Interested?”  
  
Leonard almost refused, but then he took a good look at Jim, and realized that he looked concerned and tense. Abruptly, Leonard realized that he’d been moving through his days and nights without really acknowledging everything Jim was doing to make his late nights possible. He’d been late every night this week, and even worse, he hadn’t been home to put his own daughter to bed three days in a row now…not a particularly long time for some, but a very long time to  _them_. It just wasn’t how they usually worked, and the wrongness of it was starting to take its toll on everyone.  
  
“Yeah, that’d be great, Jim, thanks. And…” he paused, unsure of how to say what he knew needed to be said. He looked up at Jim, meeting his eyes with such an apologetic look, that Jim hurried to come around the table and envelope him in a tender hug.  
  
“It’s okay, Bones,” Jim whispered, closing his eyes in relief as they held each other tightly. Jim had been so concerned that he was the only one feeling the distance of the past few days. It’d been so disconcerting and out of character, it’d given him a stomach ache. Add to that the fact that Jo was missing her dad every night, and…yeah. It’d been a long week so far. “Let’s just get some dinner into you, and then get to bed. And if you want to tell me what’s been going on, I want to hear it.”  
  
Sighing deeply, Leonard sank into a kitchen chair while Jim got the plate out of the fridge and stuck it in the microwave. “Want something to drink?” he asked.  
  
_Yeah,_ Leonard thought _ _. _I need a drink.___  
  
“I’ll get it,” he said, standing and heading out to the family room. There was a small, hardly ever used side cabinet that they kept what little alcohol they had – just a few bottles of wine, and a bottle of Jim Bean. He couldn’t remember the last time he opened this bottle, but after today, he just needed it.  
  
Coming back in to the kitchen, he got a glass from the cabinet and poured himself a small amount. He noticed, but made the conscious decision not to acknowledge, Jim’s surprised look. Leonard hardly ever drank at all, and Jim even less than that. His surprise wasn’t out of place, but he didn’t say anything about it, and Leonard didn’t protest when Jim discreetly removed the bottle from the table, capped it, and set it on the counter behind them.  
  
“Here you go, Bones. It’s just pasta with some of the sauce you had frozen in the freezer, so I hope it’s okay,” Jim said. “Jo and I enjoyed it…I think there’s some left over salad, too, if you want it…” He put the plate in front of him and hesitated when Leonard grasped his wrist.  
  
“Hey. This is perfect, I don’t need anything else,” Leonard replied. He tugged, and Jim bent to him, a small smile on his face. He kissed Jim gently, trying to convey his gratefulness and apology. He closed his eyes when he felt Jim gently cup his head. “Thank you. For everything.”  
  
“Of course, Bones. I’m just sorry you’re having such a hard time with….whatever is going on at work.” Jim slid into the chair beside Leonard and grabbed a banana out of the bowl in the center of the table. Hungry now that food was in front of him, Leonard took a bite of the dinner Jim prepared.  
  
They both ate in silence for a couple of minutes, Jim glancing at Bones every now and then. He wanted them to talk…he wanted to know what was going on at work for Bones…and he wanted to talk about his own work. Then there was the appointment with the real estate attorney they’d canceled, but not yet rescheduled. And Jo’s schooling…and Jim just felt…disconnected. And he didn’t like it. But it was late, and Bones looked tired. So, he did what he’d been doing this whole week: he kept it all to himself for now. The weekend was just a day away. They’d sort themselves out then.  
  
“What’s on the schedule for tomorrow?” Jim asked after a few minutes.  
  
Leonard sighed. “More of the same. Class in the morning, then to the hospital.”  
  
“Do you think you’ll be late again?” he asked hesitantly.  
  
Leonard looked up at Jim, hearing the note of discontent in his voice, and feeling uncomfortably guilty about it. “I – I don’t know Jim. I’ll try not to be.”  
  
“Oh…okay.”  
  
“But we’ll have the weekend together,” Leonard continued, wanting to make things better, even though it seemed like a weak offering. The smile Jim gave him, though, made him feel like it was exactly what Jim needed to hear.  
  
“That’ll be good,” he said enthusiastically. “We can all spend the day together on Saturday – Jo’s been asking about going to the beach with Sam and the girls since Aurelan is away for a show – and then Sam said he’d love if she slept over.”  
  
Leonard took a swallow of his drink and closed his eyes as the warmth spread through him. “Saddle Sam with all three of them?” Leonard asked. “Shouldn’t we be taking Janie and Kimmie to give him a break?”  
Jim shook his head, a small smile on his face. Here Bones was working his ass off all week, and he was worried about making sure Sam had enough help while Aurelan was away. God, I love him, Jim thought. “No, I already offered that. Kimmie’s going to be sleeping over a friend’s house, and Sam would prefer to keep Janie home and have Jo over to keep her busy.”  
  
“Oh, okay. Not that I want to talk him out of that, but why? What’s up with Janie?”  
  
Jim shrugged, and leaned back in his chair. “Nothing too major. Apparently she’s been experiencing some coughing and tightness in her chest when she runs around, and her pediatrician thinks she might be developing asthma. The doctor wants them to track her symptoms for a week.”  
  
Leonard nodded, frowning as he took that in. Pediatric asthma was nothing to fool around with. He hoped that wasn’t what was going on.  
  
“Done?” Jim asked, and Leonard shook himself out of his thoughts. “Or do you want some more?”  
  
“Oh, no…that was great…thanks,” he replied as Jim stood and took the empty plate from him. He finished his drink then stood and joined Jim at the sink, putting the glass aside and wrapping his arms around Jim from behind.  
  
“I feel like I’ve missed you so much this week,” Leonard said softly. Jim turned he water off and turned around in Bones’ arms. His eyes traveled over Bones’ face, and he leaned in to kiss him, the taste of the alcohol an unpleasant counterpoint that Jim forced himself to ignore. It doesn’t mean anything.  
  
“I’ve missed you, too. I wish there was something I could do to help you with everything.”  
  
A shuttered look came into Bones’ eyes and he pulled away, a tenseness in his frame that wasn’t there a moment ago, and again Jim wondered what was going on that was causing him such concern.  
  
“I’m exhausted, and because of your dinner, satisfied and full. I feel like I could sleep a week, but mornin’s comin’ fast. Bed?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jim replied, reaching to brush Leonard’s bangs away from his face. “Let’s go.”  
  
Turning off the lights as they moved through the apartment, Leonard stopped at Jo’s door and quietly pushed it open. She was sound asleep, arms and legs flung out and blankets kicked off. He stepped into her room and knelt by her bed, gently moving her away from the edge and repositioning her, then replacing her blankets. She stirred, eyes opening slightly, and she sighed sleepily as a small smile touched her lips.  
  
“Daddy, you’re home.”  
  
“Hey Baby. I’ll see you in the mornin’. Love you.”  
  
“Love you. Can you stay with me?” she asked, moving to hold her father’s arm and pressing her face to him. He stroked her hair, giving in and staying for a moment. He’d missed her, too, and he felt keenly that he’d not been paying enough attention to any of the people who mattered so much to him. Work wasn’t an excuse for that, but for this week, it was the reason.  
  
Jim watched from the doorway as Leonard spent a few minutes with his daughter. Jo had been pretty good this week, though it was obvious she’d been missing her father. And no wonder. Aside from their brief mornings before everyone went to school and work, they hadn’t really spent any time together. Jo was always in bed hours before Bones got home. After watching them for a moment, as always, moved by how tender Bones was with his little girl, Jim continued down the hall to their own room.  
  
Jim was just finishing brushing his teeth when Leonard joined him.  
  
“She fall back asleep?”  
  
“Yeah, you know how she never quite wakes all the way up.”  
  
Jim nodded and they moved around each other, sharing the bathroom space as they each finished getting ready for bed. Jim pulled off his shirt and climbed under the covers in just his boxers. Leonard stripped down too, and sighed contentedly as he joined Jim. Instead of just moving in to their customary positions, Jim turned to lay facing Bones, tucking one arm under his pillow and curling the other around Bones’ shoulders, holding him.  
  
Tired and distracted, but missing Jim and finally feeling a little more like himself as they lay there, Leonard closed his eyes as they kissed softly. Then Jim pulled away a little.  
  
“Don’t shut me out,” he whispered against Leonard’s lips. “Whatever it is, Bones I want to hear all about it. Vent to me.” He swallowed, feeling uncomfortable but needing to say something. “I…I don’t ever want you to feel like a drink is a better way to handle things,” Jim admitted.  
  
Leonard froze, and he opened his eyes to see that Jim wasn’t looking at him. A little annoyed, and feeling a little defensive, he replied without thinking. “I’m not Frank.”  
  
Jim cringed slightly, and now did raise his eyes. “I know. I don’t think that, Bones. I just…I want to help you, and I’ve just felt like you couldn’t even be bothered to talk to me about whatever’s been keeping you working so late. And…” he trailed off, struggling with what he wanted to say. But to admit how terrifying it was to even contemplate going through something like that again, with someone he loved…and worse, with someone he’d allowed himself to grow to need…his throat ached and he finally said, “I guess I just need to know that you’re…okay.”  
  
They held each other’s gaze for a minute, Leonard’s eyes softening finally as he realized there was no accusation in Jim’s. No accusation, no blame…just deep insecurity and worry. And there probably always would be, Leonard realized, when it came to this.  
  
“I’m okay,” Leonard said sincerely. “I promise you, I’m okay. That drink I had tonight was the first out of that bottle in months – probably since we got it – and it’s the first drink I’ve had in months, period. I’m sorry it upset you so much, but it was just one drink I felt like having. Nothing else, and nothing to worry about.”  
  
He pulled Jim to him again, holding him tightly, cupping his head and trailing his other hand down Jim’s bare back. Jim squeezed his eyes closed, pressing his face to Leonard’s shoulder. It was an overreaction, he knew. But it wasn’t something he could help, and he was relieved beyond belief that Bones seemed to understand that.  
  
“I’m sorry, Darlin’. Everything is fine. Okay?”  
  
“Okay,” Jim said quietly. He pulled back and it took a second before he could raise his eyes to Bones’ concerned gaze. “What’s going on at work?”  
  
Leonard sighed and pulled away, rolling on to his back. He really didn’t want to talk about this, but he now that he knew how freaked out Jim had been, and why, how could he not? Jim propped himself up on an elbow to look down at him.  
  
“The trial is coming to a close,” Leonard said. “And we finished collating all the information for it last week, and now we’re in the middle of writing the papers to submit to the FDA.”  
  
“Right,” Jim said. “I know that some of the results weren’t what you were expecting.”  
  
“Well, it wasn’t a complete surprise…we could see the way it was going.”  
  
“And it’s not going well?”  
  
“No. Not at all.”  
  
Jim was quiet for a moment, absorbing that. He knew how personally invested Leonard was in this trial. He also knew how promising it seemed to be in the beginning, and how widely respected his work had become. For this trial to end badly…  
  
Jim was starting to understand why Bones was so distracted this week. There were a lot of repercussions to a failed trial – some of which he was only peripherally aware.  
  
“So what does that mean for you?” he asked.  
  
Leonard sighed again and shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t even think about that yet. I just…I really thought I could help people dealing with this disease.”  
  
Jim nodded. He knew this would be the worst part for Bones. He’d been so invested. “I know Bones. But, you know that everything you’ve done over the last nine years has contributed, and has helped.”  
  
“Yeah, Jim. I know.”  
  
But Jim knew he didn’t believe it.  


 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
Leonard sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. He couldn’t look at the computer screen any more. He couldn’t wrap his mind, heart, or soul around the failure that was just spelled out on the screen, in plain black and white.  
  
His failure. Again.  
  
Except now it wasn’t just his father, but a total of 200 ALS patients who had taken part in his clinical  
trial over the last nine years. Every single one of them who had made it this long were still suffering from the inexorable progression of the insidious disease. Not even just them, but all the patients out there who’d heard about the promise in this new drug regimen – who’d lived their lives with their loved ones urging them to hang in there just a little while longer, because a new therapy was coming.  
  
He’d failed them all.  
  
“Diappointed” didn’t even touch the crushing ache he felt as he forced himself to review the collated information, and turn his eyes back to the computer screen. Writing this final review felt like he was writing his own eulogy.  
  
Thalidomide wasn’t the answer. It wasn’t even part of the solution.  
  
After all the rounds of trials that included over 200 patients from across the United States over the past nine years, the data was conclusive. The therapeutic effect of thalidomide was helpful at only extremely high doses. Unfortunately, at those doses it wasn’t possible to mitigate the toxic effects of the drug, and it caused severe, irreversible cardiac harm.  
  
In short, it might help slow the progression of the ALS, but it would kill the patient in the process.  
  
It was over.  
  
“You okay?”  
  
Leonard raised his eyes to the source of the question. Geoffrey M’Benga, a neurospecialist researcher hired to work with him when the trial expanded, stood in his doorway.  
  
“No,” he answered truthfully.  
  
Geoff nodded and came into the office, closing the door behind him. He settled in the chair across from Leonard and put what he’d been holding on the desk between them.  
  
“I bought this,” he said, “the day you hired me. I knew we’d be using it one way or the other.”  
Leonard smirked as he turned the bottle around. Blue Label.  
  
Geoff took it from him and twisted it open. He poured for both of them, pushing Leonard’s glass towards him. Leonard hesitated for a second, but picked it up. It was already late, Jim knew he was going to be late, and this was one of the most disheartening days of his professional life.  
  
What the hell, he thought. It’s not like I can have Geoff drinking alone.  
  
Geoff raised his glass when Leonard took his, and Leonard raised his eyebrow before following suit.  
“To better luck next time,” Geoff said.  
  
Leonard snorted and they clinked their glasses.  
  
“If there is a next time,” he mumbled, bringing the glass to his lips.  
  
Geoff settled back in the chair, looking at Leonard speculatively.  
  
“Of course there’ll be a next time,” he said. “ALS isn’t going to just disappear on its own. This was a setback, for sure, but…”  
  
“C’mon Geoff. This was more than a setback. Do you know how much money was poured into this study?”  
  
“Yes. Enough to hire you, me, and a research assistant, at least. But so what? So we found something that doesn’t work. Some of what we learned can be used in the lenalidomide trial, and that’s looking promising. Besides, there are cancer patients who are benefitting from all the work you’ve done.”  
  
“Hmph,” Leonard said, acknowledging that point. And it wasn’t a small thing, either, to have discovered that thalidomide inhibited the growth of new blood vessels. That discovery led to another therapy for malignant tumors, ‘cause tumors can’t grow without a blood supply. So, yes, there was some good. Just not the good they’d been hoping for. Not the good he’d had his heart set on. Not the good that could’ve helped others like his father.  
  
They sat there, in Leonard’s office, talking and drinking for about an hour. Leonard assured Geoff that he’d do everything he could to keep him on staff, even though his own position wasn’t guaranteed. And if there was room for them on the lenalidomide trial, that might work out for both of them.  
  
“I don’t think you have to worry about losing your position here,” Geoff said. “You’re a respected neurologist, and you’ve helped the university build a great program. They’d be stupid to let you go. Me…there’s not as much invested in me. But I’m not worried about me, either.”  
  
Leonard admired Geoff’s optimism. Just like Jim’s. Probably why they worked together so well. They talked about shutting down and calling it a night, but ended up staying through one more glass each, though Leonard knew that probably wasn’t a good idea. Jim wasn’t going to like it, and he shouldn’t be drinking on an empty stomach. But it felt good to relax and commiserate with someone who truly understood and appreciated the depth of disappointment. Jim cared, of course, but he wasn’t the one who’d put nine years of his life into something that ended up being a dead end.  
  
An hour later, they left the office together, flipping off the lights and locking the door behind them.  
  
“You good to get home?” Leonard asked Geoff as they headed to the elevators that would take them to the parking garage. This section of the hospital was all offices, and it was mostly quiet at this time of night.  
  
“Yeah, I’m fine. You?”  
  
Leonard considered that carefully before answering. In his office, he’d felt a little light-headed and sleepy, but now he felt steady on his feet and the more he walked the better he felt. Home was just a few minutes’ drive on surface streets and traffic would be lessened at this hour.  
On the other hand…  
  
“I think I’m gonna call a cab,” he said. “I think I’m okay, but it would just top this fucking day off to be pulled over. And you should take the cab with me.”  
  
He pulled out his cell and searched for the saved number. He remembered the night he’d made Jim put it in his phone, too. It’d be stupid not to use it. Jim wasn’t going to be happy with him either way, but he’d be furious if he thought Leonard had been careless, too.  
  
“Nah, doc…we’re going in two different directions. I’m okay to drive,” Geoff insisted.  
  
In the end, Geoff had pacified Leonard by waiting to leave until the cab arrived, and demonstrated his sobriety in that time with a series of simple checks. Leonard felt his decision to call a cab for himself was a good one when he couldn’t do the same checks without getting a little dizzy each time he closed his eyes.  
  
“Goodnight Leo…and this sucks, but don’t let it stop you. There’s a lot left to do,” Geoff said as he got into his car.  
  
Leonard nodded and waved as Geoff drove off, then settled himself into the cab and gave his address to the driver. Tipping his head back, he closed his eyes as the driver made his way through the streets to his neighborhood. He sighed at the thought of everything they still had to deal with…not the least of which was finding a new place to live. Everything had stalled when he’d moved into this final stage of the trial, and it wasn’t that he’d forgotten about things or didn’t think they were important, he’d just ended up buried in the work.  
  
“Sir,” the driver said, rousing him from his reverie. “Which building, please?”  
  
Leonard directed the driver to his building and paid the fare, and moments later he was letting himself into the dark apartment. He was even later tonight than last night, and he wasn’t surprised when Jim didn’t call to him. He set the alarm, grabbed a water and couple of Tylenol, figuring it was better to be proactive, and made his way through the apartment.  
  
As usual, he stopped to check in on Jo, who was so soundly asleep she didn’t even stir tonight. There was a light on in his bedroom, spilling out into the darkened hallway, but he didn’t hear anything that sounded like Jim was still up. He pushed the door open and saw that Jim had tried to wait up for him but had fallen asleep, glasses on, and whatever he’d been working on strewn around him on the bed.  
  
Leonard hesitated, unsure if he should wake Jim or just get himself ready and get to bed. In the end, he decided to take care of himself first. The last thing he wanted was a long conversation about the drinks he had tonight. It would be bad enough when Jim realized he’d left his car the night before.  
  
Decision made, he hurried to change and clean up, making sure to brush and use mouthwash. He shut off the bathroom light and headed to the bed where Jim was still out like a light. He carefully gathered the papers that Jim had fallen asleep with, glancing down at one of them, a familiar name jumping out at him.  
  
“Ryan” – he wondered if it was the same kid who’d gotten Jim’s attention a couple of weeks ago. He shook his head to himself…to figure out what was going on with Ryan and help him, if possible, had been so important to Jim, and now he didn’t even know what was going on with that.  
  
He had a lot of catching up to do.  
  
“Jim,” he said quietly. “Darlin’, c’mon…let’s get you lyin’ down better. You’re going to hurt your neck like this.” Kneeling on the bed beside Jim, he gently shook his shoulder and smiled softly at him as he blinked awake, his eyes taking a second to focus behind the lenses. Leonard removed the glasses from his face and set them aside.  
  
“Bones…glad you’re home,” Jim murmured. He wiped a hand over his mouth. “Ugh…I think I drooled all over myself.”  
  
“That’s okay, Darlin’…you still look good to me. You want some water or anything?”  
  
“Nah, I’m fine.”  
  
“Okay…let’s lay down. I’m exhausted, Jo’s sound asleep, and it’s really late.”  
Jim nodded, moving to lay down and pull the covers over himself as Leonard stretched to turn off the bedside light.  
  
“Did you get everything done?” Jim asked as he moved to lie against Leonard, sighing sleepily as Leonard put an arm around him to hold him to his side securely.  
  
“Just about. Geoff has to compile one more section, then we’re submitting the final report.”  
  
“Good…” Jim said, sleep pulling him swiftly down. But even as he was falling back asleep, he thought he caught a whiff of a scent from his childhood…a scent with no good memories attached, and his dreams that night were unsettled.  


 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
Jo woke to the smell of bacon. Sitting up, she brushed her hair out of her eyes and glanced at the clock next to her bed. It was only eight, and it was Saturday. She didn’t usually sleep much later than that, but she and oide had been up playing board games pretty late last night, waiting for her dad. Oide warned her that he might be very late, but he let her stay up anyway. She didn’t remember going to bed, though, and she wondered if oide had carried her in here. That thought embarrassed her a little. It wasn’t like she was a baby any more, or anything.  
  
Anyway, bacon. Someone was making breakfast.  
  
Pushing the blankets off, she shifted the nightgown she was wearing around, making sure it wasn’t caught in her underwear in the back like that one time, then hurried out of her room to the bathroom, and then out to the kitchen.  
  
“Daddy!” Jo exclaimed happily.  
  
“Hey Baby,” Leonard said, turning around with a smile on his face. “C’mere…I missed you last night.”  
Jo ran to him, jumping to help him lift her into a big hug.  
  
“I tried to wait up for you with oide. We must’ve played a hundred rounds of Scrabble!”  
  
“Aw, well, I’m sorry I was so late, Darlin’. But we’re going to spend the day together with Sam and Kimmie and Janie, and next week will be back to normal with my schedule.”  
  
“Good,” Jo said. “I don’t like it when I don’t see you for a whole day, Daddy.”  
  
“I know, Baby. I don’t like it either.”  
  
“Morning,” Jim said, coming in to the kitchen, smiling at the sight of his two favorite people together.  
  
“Mornin’ Jim,” Leonard said, reaching an arm out to him. Jim joined them with a chuckle and they were linked in a three person hug for a couple of seconds.  
  
“You’re squishing me!” Jo giggled, squirming to be put down. Leonard kissed her cheek noisily and Jim squeezed her side where she was the most ticklish, making her laugh until they finally let her go. “I’m gonna go feed Jack,” she announced.  
  
“Okay, Baby…you do that. How many pancakes do you want?” Leonard called as she skipped out of the kitchen.  
  
“Three, and I’m not a baby!”  
  
“You’ll always be my baby!” Leonard called back, turning back to the bacon in the pan. Jim folded his arms over his chest and shook his head, smiling at their banter.  
  
“You’re in a good mood this morning,” Jim observed, happy to see that Bones seemed to be more of his usual self.  
  
Leonard leaned towards Jim for a kiss, and Jim smiled, obliging him.  
  
“I am. I’m not happy with what’s going on at work….but that’s work. I am so happy to be able to spend time with you and Jo…and then with you,” he said, his voice lowering slightly as he winked at Jim.  
  
“I’m not sure what’ll happen over the next few weeks, but for now, I need to focus on us, and on everything I made us leave up in the air while I was buried in work.”  
  
Jim blinked, unsure what to make of this striking change in Bones’ attitude between the day before and today. Not that he wasn’t grateful for it…he agreed that they needed to reconnect with each other and their lives…but it was still surprising. He watched as Bones transferred the cooked bacon from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate, wondering if he should bring up what he thought he remembered from last night…a scent that he associated with nothing but trouble, from his childhood.  
  
“Want to pour the pancakes?” Leonard asked, looking over his shoulder at Jim.  
  
“Sure,” he replied, stepping up to the oven top and taking the bowl and ladle from Leonard. And as they stood there, making breakfast and listening to Jo tapping out some of the songs she’d learned on the keyboard, Jim decided to keep it to himself. They needed this weekend and he didn’t want to do anything to ruin it.  
  
A few minutes later they were calling Jo to the table for breakfast and Jim let himself relax into the warm familiarity of their little family. They talked about the plans for the day, going down to the beach with Janie and Kimmie and Sam. Leonard caught up with everything that had been going on with Jo at school over the last week. He hadn’t been completely out of the loop, but it always brought a smile to his face to hear his daughter talk about a book she read or something new she learned. Lately, she’d taken to hanging around Hikaru Sulu, who was the McKinley IT admin and de facto computer lab teacher, and she’d been learning some basic programming from him.  
  
“I did a simple program that made a picture, Daddy. It’s in my backpack. I’ll show you later.”  
  
“That’s great, Jo! Is that something you want to learn more about?”  
  
Jo took a big bite of the pancakes and nodded enthusiastically. “It’s cool to see how to make computers do things.”  
  
“Well maybe we can get you enrolled in a summer program or something,” Jim suggested, and Leonard nodded. They were always looking for fun programs for during the summer while they both worked and Jo was out of school. “I think I remember seeing a notice about something for a program like that at one of the charter schools. I’ll see about it on Monday.”  
  
“’Kay, thank you oide.”  
  
Jim smiled, and reached to tousle her hair. “You’re welcome, sweetie.”  
  
“So are we gonna meet Janie and Kimmie at the beach?” Jo asked, changing the topic to their plans for today.  
  
Jim nodded. “That was the idea. We figured we’d meet by the ice cream place, Sally’s, and then find a good spot on the beach. We should take your car, Bones. Mine has the check engine light on. Probably nothing, but I want to get it checked out this weekend, too.”  
  
Leonard shook his head. “My car’s not here. If you’re worried, we can go to the hospital and get it, then drop your car off at the garage.”  
  
Jim hesitated before answering, keeping his eyes on his plate. “Why isn’t your car here?”  
  
Before Leonard could either answer or suggest Jo go get ready, she did it for him.  
  
“I’m going to put my beach stuff together and get dressed. Good breakfast, Daddy!” she said, standing and bringing her dishes to the sink. She stopped to give each of them slightly sticky kisses and Leonard reminded her to wash her face, too.  
  
“Why is your car at the hospital?” Jim asked again, once Joanna was out of the room.  
  
“I don’t want you to worry…everything’s fine. Geoff and I shared a couple of drinks since we’re at the close of the trial. It wasn’t anything planned; he just came to my office with the bottle he’d bought and a couple of glasses. And I probably was fine to drive home, but I figured I may as well just call a cab. Just in case.”  
  
Jim was quiet, eyes on his plate, as he listened to Bones explain what had gone on last night. And the memory of that intensely minty scent that he’d recognized from his childhood, and associated with hiding another smell, came back to him.  
  
Bones never used mouthwash.  
  
But he wasn’t lying, either. He was being up front about what had gone on and why his car wasn’t here. And Jim knew the feelings he had about this were an overreaction. He knew it, but knowing it didn’t make it any easier.  
  
“Jim?” Leonard said after a couple of seconds of silence. “You were so sound asleep last night…otherwise I would’ve told you then.”  
  
And Jim made a decision – Bones had never given him reason to not trust and believe him about anything. This was no different. So, he forced his discomfort down, ignored the little voice that kept repeating, “twice, in two days – that you know of”, and pushed the memories aside.  
  
“Okay, Bones. No problem. I’m glad you decided to call a cab,” he said, looking up and putting a smile on his face.  
  
Bones was watching him carefully, and slowly the smile started to feel more real. It was so obvious that he cared so much. To worry over this was stupid.  
  
“Yeah? You’re not upset?” Leonard checked.  
  
Jim shrugged. “Nah. I don’t particularly like it, but I’m not upset over it. I may have been if you had decided to drive home that late, though.”  
  
Relieved, Leonard nodded. “That’s what I thought, and that’s why I called a cab.”  
  
Jim nodded and took a second to finish his orange juice, and Leonard wasn’t an idiot. Although Jim was saying what he’d hoped he would say, he could tell that Jim wasn’t feeling it. At least, not completely.  
  
He’d just have to show him.  
  
“So,” Jim said, putting his empty glass down. “Let’s do what you said…let’s leave in about half an hour, get your car, drop mine off at the repair shop, and we should have plenty of time to meet Sam and the girls.”  
  
“Sounds good, Darlin’. Here, let me have the plates – I’ll clean up if you want to go get ready.”  
  
Less than two hours later, Sam, Jim and Leonard were sitting on foldable chairs, watching the girls splash around at the water’s edge. It was breezy today, but warm, and though the water was cold, they had fun splashing and running away from the waves. After a little while the Janie and Jo sat down to make as big a sandcastle as they could imagine, complete with shell decorations, gardens of seaweed, and a moat that was continually filled by the reach of the waves as they rushed the shore. Kimmie, who at fifteen thought she was too old for sandcastles, lay on a blanket not too far from them, watching. And making the occasional suggestion.  
  
“Oide, can you take a picture of our sandcastle?” Jo called to them, holding a hand over her eyes against the glare of the sun.  
  
“Sure thing, sweetie,” Jim called back. “Be right there.”  
  
He turned to his bag and pulled out a digital camera.  
  
“Jim, would you bring the sunblock with you. Aurelan threatened my life if Janie got sunburned.”  
  
“Sure…where is it?”  
  
“Here. Have Jo put some on to,” Leonard said, handing him the tube.  
  
“And Kim…”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Jim tossed over his shoulder as he made his way down to where they girls were working.  
  
Once his brother was out of earshot, Sam turned to Leonard.  
  
“This may not exactly be my place, but is everything ok with you two?” he asked.  
  
Surprised that Sam had picked up on anything, Leonard shifted in his seat and turned to look at him speculatively. “Did Jim say something?” he asked.  
  
Sam shook his head. “No. But I know my brother, and I feel like I know you, too, by now. You guys just don’t seem as…easy…with each other as you usually are, that’s all.”  
  
Sam watched as Leonard looked away from him, keeping his eyes on the girls and Jim.  
  
“Look, you don’t have to tell me what’s going on, obviously,” Sam said into the silence. “But I know relationships can be hard sometimes…and according to my wife, Kirks are hard-headed assholes on occasion, so…”  
  
Leonard smiled at that, and looked over at Sam. “Thanks, Sam. I appreciate it. This past week was a hard one. I worked really late every night and pretty much counted on Jim to take care of everything, even Jo. But it was a temporary situation, and this coming week everything will go back to normal,” he said, leaving out what he knew was the real issue. If Jim wanted to talk to Sam about it, so be it. Leonard didn’t feel like dealing with possibly two people prone to overreacting to something as simple as having a few drinks. “I think Jim was feeling ignored, and I don’t blame him for that at all. But other than that, everything’s fine.”  
  
Sam regarded Leonard for a moment, then looked back toward the shore where his brother was taking picture after picture of the girls, laughing at their antics for the camera.  
  
“Well, I’m glad to hear that’s all it is. Work can be a bitch, especially when there’s something unusual going on.”  
  
They changed the subject then, and when Jim came back to the chairs he sat down with a smile.  
  
“The girls said they were getting hungry. Any ideas on lunch?” he asked.  
  
They talked about where to go and how to spend the rest of their day, and after a few more minutes, decisions were made. Leonard went to call the girls in and bring them to the nearby restroom to get changed. While he was doing that, Sam and Jim collected the things they’d brought down with them, and Sam took the opportunity to check in with his little brother, too. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Leonard, but Jim was his brother.  
  
Jim wasn’t surprised when Sam asked him what was going on, nor was he surprised to hear that he’d already asked Bones.  
  
“You know, sometimes I’m not sure who’s more nosy…you or your wife,” Jim said with a sigh.  
  
Sam smirked. “She rubbed off on me,” he said easily. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”  
  
Jim hesitated before answering. Talking to Sam actually might not be a bad idea. If anyone could understand his hang-up, Sam could. But now wasn’t the time.  
  
“Jim?” Sam prompted again.  
  
“It’s just been a really busy week, and Bones wasn’t around most of the time. I was just stressed, working all day then having Jo all night. But everything’s fine.”  
  
“Okay, good. You know, though, little brother, that if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here for you.”  
  
Jim smiled and nodded. He knew he could always count on Sam. “I know, and I appreciate it.”  
  
They spent the rest of the afternoon together, stopping for lunch at a popular burger place and then poking through some of the little shops along the street. Jim and Leonard were walking close enough to discreetly link their fingers, and Leonard smiled at Jim when he did. Things seemed to be getting back to normal, and he was so grateful for that.  
  
“Dad!” Kim’s call to her father interrupted their conversation about where to look for a house, and they all looked to the three girls. “Janie’s doing it again.”  
  
“Shit,” Sam murmured. He hurried up to them as Janie was taking a seat on a bench. Kim was rubbing her back and Jo was watching her worriedly. Janie coughed, a hoarse-sounding cough and took a deep breath. The three adults reached her and Sam knelt down in front of her. “How do you feel baby?” he asked her.  
  
“Like I’ve been running and I can’t catch my breath,” she said, and Leonard thought he could hear wheezing in her voice but the ambient sounds were too loud.  
  
Sam cupped her face and looked over his shoulder. “Jim, do you have any water?”  
  
“Yeah…here,” Jim said, handing a water bottle to him. “Bones, is there anything…?”  
  
“Janie, honey, you mind if I listen to your breathing?”  
  
“No, Uncle Len, that’s fine,” she said.  
  
“Okay, Darlin’, just turn sideways – just like that. I’m gonna put my ear against your back. Take some deep breaths for me, honey…”  
  
Everyone watched while Leonard listened to Janie breathe for a couple of moments, and while he did, her coughing lessened and the tight, pinched look on her face relaxed as her symptoms abated.  
  
Leonard straightened and Janie sat back against the bench.  
  
“Yeah, I could definitely hear the results of the tightness she was feeling, Sam,” Leonard said. “And you did good, Janie, just to sit and relax until it passed. Ignoring it will make it worse, and we certainly don’t want that, do we?”  
  
“No, we don’t,” she said decisively. “I don’t like it.”  
  
“You just sit and rest for a couple more minutes, okay?”  
  
Janie nodded and Leonard stood up. “Did her doctor give you a rescue inhaler?”  
  
Sam shook his head. “No…she’s never experienced symptoms quite like that. Usually it happens when she’s running around, and it passes quickly. This time it happened out of nowhere.”  
  
“When are you supposed to take her back to the doctor?” Leonard asked.  
  
“They wanted us to track her symptoms for a week.”  
  
But Leonard shook his head. “No, that was definitely an asthmatic event. Take her on Monday. Or, Sam…and I don’t want to scare you…but if she has something happen like that again, and it lasts more than five minutes, you need to get her to the hospital. Asthma is not something to fool around with.”  
  
Sam nodded his understanding, his eyes landing on his little girl, worry written across his face.  
  
“Do you want us to keep Jo home tonight?” Jim offered?  
  
Sam considered that for a moment, but ultimately shook his head. “If you guys don’t mind, I’d like her to come anyway. They play so well together, it makes it easier to keep Janie quiet and calm.”  
  
“Sure,” Leonard said. “No problem, and I know Jo will be happy to be there. But if anything happens, Sam…call us.”  
  
“Of course. How’re you doing Janie?”  
  
“Back to normal,” she replied, standing. “Can we get ice cream?”  
  
Jim laughed. “Yeah, she’s back to normal all right.”  
  
“Ice cream, then let’s head home. Sound good?” Sam asked.  
  
Leonard smiled as everyone agreed, and he followed the group back up the street to the place they originally started their day.


	6. Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Bones spend an afternoon and evening reconnecting with each other, and Jim is reminded of Bones’ commitment to him, and their family, even when overwhelmed with work. Sam and Janie introduce Jo to a new movie, while Sam waits for Aurelan’s call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part is rated NC-17

Once the girls were packed into Sam’s car and were headed back home, Leonard led Jim to a little outside café to enjoy a couple of cool drinks and a shared desert, since they’d decided to forgo the ice cream. Once they’d placed their order, Jim turned to Leonard with a slightly apprehensive expression.

“How worried are you about the asthma?” Jim asked.

Leonard weighed his response before answering. “Well, things like that can develop in kids pretty quickly, and can go from no big deal to life threatening just as fast. But, I’m not a pediatric doctor, and I’m not Janie’s doctor. I think as long as they go back to the doctor on Monday, and watch her between now and then, everything will be fine. If I didn’t think so, Jim, I would’ve told Sam.”

Jim nodded and took that to heart. Bones would never not say something about the health of any of the children in the family.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll try to stop worrying.”

“Good,” Leonard replied. He cupped the back of Jim’s neck and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Cause I want your full attention today.”

Jim smiled, his eyes a striking blue in the bright sun, and he looked so happy, Leonard couldn’t help but smile in return. 

“You got it,” Jim said. “What do you want to do after this?”

“Well, I was thinking we could go home, take showers - ” 

“Or, maybe, just share one. Water conservation, and all,” Jim interjected.  
Leonard chuckled and rolled his eyes, and continued, “- and then drive by some of the houses Estelle has been sending to us…see if we want to ask her to make appointments for any of them.”

Jim nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, let’s definitely do that!” he exclaimed. “Some of them are in neighborhoods I’m completely unfamiliar with, and I’d like to see what’s around, and what kind of neighborhood it is, and where exactly it is in relationship to the hospital and university and the school board building…we can put everything into the Garmin.”

Leonard took a sip of his iced tea and nodded, happy that Jim was as enthusiastic about house hunting as ever. They did still need to take the final steps in securing their finances, and although Leonard had been completely bogged down in work this week, he had faxed Estelle all the information Jim had asked him to in an email he’d sent earlier that week.

“You did?” Jim asked, surprised to hear that. He’d figured that Bones had been so busy that none of that stuff had been taken care of, and was just put on hold. To realize that it wasn’t – that Bones had made time to request bank and employment records, and follow all the way through with it – was really eye-opening for Jim.

“Of course I did,” Leonard replied, equally surprised. “Jim, don’t doubt for a second that I want to do this with you more than anything. Work won’t stop me from making it happen. _Nothing_ will stop me from making this happen with you. This week sucked, and yes, it was a pretty devastating week that isn’t over yet. I still don’t know for sure what’s going to happen. And, there will probably be other weeks like it, for both of us, over the years. But in the end, it’s just work. You and Jo, and the rest of our family…yours and mine…you all are what matter the most.”

Leonard took Jim’s hand and ran his fingers over the silver bracelet thoughtfully. It was hard for Leonard to remember this, but although their relationship was a few years old already, Jim was new to this. He’d never been in a completely committed relationship before Leonard. In the beginning, that had been a concern; he worried that Jim didn’t realize what he was giving up, or what he was in for. Jim, though, he’d been adamant, and he’d definitely proven himself over the last few years. 

They belonged to each other, as completely as if they’d been married in every legal and religious way possible. And this was the first time Jim had experienced something like that. It was understandable that he was surprised to hear that Leonard had kept up with what was going on around this important step in their lives, even if only marginally. 

“Don’t ever doubt that Jim,” Leonard said quietly. “No matter what, you and Jo are the most important parts of my life.”

Jim nodded, biting his lip as he turned his hand and curled his fingers around Leonard’s. It wasn’t that he doubted. He never doubted. It was just that sometimes he didn’t realize how it was possible for people to love like that. It wasn’t something he’d ever experienced before Leonard had come into his life. 

“Hey Bones?” he said, raising his eyes to Bones’.

“Yeah, Darlin’?”

“I think we should get going.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” he replied with a smile. 

Jim settled the check while Leonard went to get the car, driving it around to meet him at the corner.

“Have you heard from the mechanic?” Leonard asked as Jim settled in the car. “Maybe we can pick your car up on the way home.”

“No, not yet. Let me give them a call.”

A short while later, Jim and Bones were pulling up to their apartment in two separate cars. They spent a few minutes unloading everything they’d brought with them, depositing the remains from the cooler in the kitchen, then Jim turned to Bones with a smile on his face.

“So…how ‘bout that shower?” he asked.

Leonard stepped into Jim’s space so they stood inches from each other and let his hands settle on his slim waist. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, until Leonard leaned forward and brought their lips together in a gentle kiss. Jim drew his hands up Leonard’s arms and gently cupped his face as the kiss deepened.

“Sounds good, Darlin’,” Leonard said. Jim grinned and they kissed again, staying in place despite the agreement. Jim held Bones to him, loving the feel of the strong body under his hands, and he felt arousal in every part of him. Every night this week had been nothing but two people falling into bed too exhausted to do anything other than kiss each other goodnight. But now, they had time for each other.

Leonard felt the desire in Jim’s body, and he hummed in approval, feeling it himself. Reluctantly breaking the kiss, he grasped Jim’s wrist and gave him a playful tug, tipping his head in the direction of their bedroom. “Let’s go,” he said. “I don’t want to wait another second.” 

They made their way through the apartment, removing their shirts and dropping them to the floor. By the time they made it to their room, Jim was tripping out of his bathing suit and Leonard chuckled as he reached out to steady him.

“A little eager there, Jim?” he asked with a smile. Jim flushed slightly, but laughed at himself and easily admitted it.

“You bet I am. So come here.” He pulled Bones to himself and kissed him with all the desire he was feeling. Jim moaned into the kiss as Bones’ hands moved down and clutched his ass, pulling Jim to him even more tightly. They panted as they parted for air, and Jim tipped his head to the side, exposing his neck. Leonard kissed and sucked gently, knowing how sensitive he was there. Jim gasped and rubbed his bare flesh against Leonard’s hardness, still clothed in the bathing suit he wore.

“Bones…” Jim moaned. He clutched Bones’ shoulders and slid his hands around his back, holding him tightly.

Thoughts of a shower leaving him as they moved against each other, kissing and gasping and holding each other tightly, Leonard walked them towards the bed. Jim huffed in surprise when his legs hit the mattress and he suddenly found himself sitting, but he rallied quickly. He moved back on the bed, breathing hard and watching Bones heatedly as he followed him. Jim lay back as Bones supported himself over him on his knees, one hand planted by Jim’s shoulder while he trailed the other up Jim’s bare body, smiling against his lips as they kissed when Jim squirmed in ticklishness, pausing to gently pinch one nipple, than the other. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” Jim said, a little breathless. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of the suit Bones still wore. Leonard quirked an eyebrow and pressed his hips down, dragging the fabric of his suit over Jim, making him arch into the feel of it as he squeezed his eyes closed and bit his lip. 

Leonard let his gaze travel all over Jim’s face, taking in every nuance of the pleasure that showed in his expression, and pressed gentle kisses to his closed lids, then his mouth, urging him to let his lip go. Jim opened his eyes and wrapped his arms and legs around Bones, pulling him down to rest against his body. Jim slid his hands into Bones’ hair as they moved their hips against each other, catching their moans and whispered pleas between their kisses. 

“Oh…god,” Jim gasped out, the friction of them moving against each other like that making him feel frantic for more. Jim curled his hands around Bones’ shoulders and arched under him, trying to keep his body in contact with Bones for more pressure, more friction. His legs trembled as they tightened around Bones’ waist and he finally couldn’t take it anymore, trying to reach between their bodies to take himself in hand.

“Uh-uh,” Leonard said, reaching down to grasp Jim’s wrist. He caught his other hand as well and held both of Jim’s hands against the mattress on either side of his head. Jim’s grip on him tightened as they moved together, breaths becoming gasps as sweat dampened his hair. 

Leonard moved down his body, dropping sucking kisses on his neck and chest, tasting the sweat and salt of the beach on Jim’s skin, all of his senses engaged as he heard and responded to Jim’s breathy moans. Leonard paused to suck and tongue first one sensitive nipple, then the other. Jim turned his head restlessly, arching his hips as much as he could under Leonard, the sensations going straight from his chest to his cock.

Leonard let go of Jim’s hands so he could move further down his body, pressing sucking, tickling kisses to his stomach. He chuckled as Jim squirmed, hands flying down to his shoulders, trying to push him off as his groans turned to breathless laughs.

“S-stop, Bones, stop! It tickles!”

Leonard laughed and nuzzled the sensitive skin, feeling his muscles jump and bunch as he twisted under the ticklish onslaught. And then Jim gasped, caught by surprise at the feel of Leonard closing a large hand around his hardness. 

“Oh…f-fuck, Bones…god…” Jim shuddered hard as Leonard stroked him lightly, once, from base to tip. Leonard knelt back over Jim, kissed him deeply and nibbled gently on his bottom lip, his fingers teasing the exquisitely sensitive ridge with just the wetness that Jim produced to ease the slide.

“You’re so gorgeous like this, Jim…I can’t wait anymore. Do you want to fuck me? Come inside me?” Leonard whispered, his lips right by Jim’s ear.

“Oh, god, yes,” Jim groaned, hips shuddering under Leonard as he continued to touch him so perfectly. Jim swallowed hard and looked up into Bones’ intense eyes. “But I don’t think I’ll last for even a minute.” He spread his legs in invitation and raised his head off the pillow to kiss him. “I want you inside me,” he said. “Now, Bones…please, god, please.”  
“Hold your horses, there Jim…don’t want to hurt you. Where’s the lube?”

“Oh, god….you’re gonna kill me,” Jim moaned as Leonard let him go and stretched to reach the bottle they kept in the bedside table.

Leonard smirked down at him. “Not likely, Darlin’.”

He took a second to finally remove his bathing suit, dropping it over the side of the bed, and Jim raised his knees, drawing his feet towards his body, to give Leonard room. With the lube to ease the way, Leonard sank one finger deeply into Jim without any resistance, and Jim jumped and arched his back as he unerringly found that perfect spot inside of him.

“ _Nnngghh_ ,” Jim groaned. Leonard deflected his hands as he tried to touch himself, and leaned down to drag his tongue around Jim’s balls and up his shaft. Jim whined and bucked when Leonard circled the tip and sucked it into his mouth, at the same time introducing a second finger and spreading them carefully.

“Gonna come…Bones…gonna…ohhhh, fuck, please…I need you in me,” Jim begged, clutching the blankets in a white knuckled grip that only marginally relaxed when Leonard released him from his hot, wet mouth.

“Yeah, Darlin’…god, you look so beautiful like this, open and waiting for me…” Leonard spread lube over himself and both men groaned as he pressed inside Jim, the heat and tightness testing Leonard’s control. Jim lifted his legs and settled them on Bones’ shoulders, making it easier for him to move. Leonard stared down into Jim’s eyes, and Jim reached up to card his hands through his dark hair. 

Shaking, flushed, both desperate to give in to the tension twisting through them, Leonard pulled out and pushed in slowly, forcing himself to not rush this, wanting to savor every expression on Jim’s face, every plea and whimper, physically showing him the truth behind his words about how much he loved him.

“Bones…” Jim said, breathing hard, he bit his lip and arched under him again and again, teetering on the edge of orgasm. “Love you so much. Please, uh…oohhh…need you to make me come.”

Leonard pushed inside him again, and went still, his orgasm rushing over him with a suddenness and ferocity that took his breath and left him shaking helplessly as Jim pulled him closer and tighter against him with his strong legs, desperate for his own release. Gasping, Bones reached a hand between them, grasped him and stroked firmly, once, twice…and then Jim was coming, spurting between them as his whole body quaked under Bones. The relief was so overwhelming Jim was helpless to contain himself, a sound like a sob forcing its way out of him. Tenderly, Leonard brushed Jim’s hair back from his forehead and kissed him, watching as the tension slowly left his features. 

Coming back to himself, Jim wrapped his arms around Bones and pulled him down, lowering his legs back to the bed, and urging Bones to relax on him. Sweaty and sated, Bones let himself relax, and they both took a couple of seconds to catch their breath.

“’M I too heavy for you?” Leonard murmured, head resting comfortably on Jim’s shoulder.

“Mmm…no…you’re perfect,” Jim said quietly back. “Stay just like this.”

They lay quietly, eyes closed, muscles lax, breaths syncing, warm in each other’s arms despite the fan that moved the air around them. Drifting…nearly sleeping.

“Now I really need a shower,” Leonard said, nearly talking in his sleep, and he smiled against Jim’s warm skin as he laughed quietly.

They lay there, drifting comfortably between asleep and awake, for some indeterminable time. After a while, Leonard started to rouse, brought slowly back to full consciousness by the need to use the bathroom, and also a slight chill as the afternoon darkened to night and the temperature dropped. He shifted slightly, wincing as he pulled away from Jim, the consequences of not cleaning up a little pulling at hair and skin stickily. Jim’s brow furrowed as the cool air hit him, causing a wave of goosebumps to rise on his skin.

“Shh, sorry Darlin’. I have to use the bathroom,” Leonard whispered. He leaned down to kiss Jim, gently stroking the hair at his temple. Not wanting to leave him cold, Leonard picked up the soft throw blanket they kept on the chair in their room and unfolded it, placing it over him and kissing him again. Jim smiled, waking more as he heard Leonard leave him and go into the bathroom.

Jim lay there for another moment then stretched his limbs and back, feeling achy in all the best ways. He sighed deeply and craned his neck to see what time it was, and then was surprised at how late it had gotten. Deciding there was no reason to care, he pulled the throw blanket up over himself further, turned on his side and let himself drift off.  
A few minutes later, clean and refreshed, Leonard rejoined Jim, sitting beside him at the edge of the bed. Jim smiled and blinked up at him, the light from the bathroom enough to see by in the dark room.

“So much for house-hunting, huh?” Leonard said.

Jim chuckled and moved to curl his body around Bones, to put his head in his lap. “But this was _so_ much better. Hey…you took a shower.”

“Had to. I was a mess.”

“I thought we were going to shower together,” Jim said, pretending to pout.

“Well, that would’ve been fine with me, Darlin’, but you were snoring out here when I came to ask,” Leonard replied drily, and Jim narrowed his eyes at him.

“I do not snore,” he said.

“Then Jack is in here somewhere, purring loud enough to be mistaken as a human snoring,” Leonard replied without hesitation, and Jim rolled his eyes with a smile. Leonard watched with unabashed admiration as Jim stretched and yawned, pulling the blanket away as he did. Jim’s smile turned lascivious as he watched Leonard watching him with obvious interest.

“Like what you see?” Jim asked.

Bones quirked an eyebrow and a smile pulled at his lips. “You know I do.”

Jim winked at him, and was about to suggest going for a second round when his stomach loudly announced that it’d been hours since he’d eaten, and he’d burned a lot of calories in the interim.

Leonard laughed and Jim chuckled good naturedly.

“Ugh, I guess I should get up and get a shower too. And then we gotta see about some food, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Leonard agreed. “Maybe go out? Try a new place? We haven’t done that for a while.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jim agreed. “Let me up…”

Leonard stood and Jim pushed himself up, scratching idly at his belly. He stood with Leonard and pressed a kiss to his lips as he headed towards the bathroom. 

“I’ll just be a few minutes,” Jim said.

“Take your time,” Leonard said. “I’m going to clean up a bit.”

Moments later, Jim was singing loudly – and not all that badly – in the shower as Leonard stripped the bed and cleaned up after their earlier activities. He walked through the apartment, picking up the shirts they’d dropped along the way, moving the shoes they’d left in the middle of the rooms on their way to the bedroom. He threw in a wash and gave Sam a call, just to make sure that everything was going okay before they went out.

He was just saying goodbye to Jo when Jim came into the kitchen, looking freshly scrubbed and comfortable in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, hair still a little damp from the shower.

“Everything good? Janie okay?” Jim asked when Leonard hung up.

“Yup. The girls are having pizza, cupcakes are in the oven, and a shortlist of movies is ready to go,” Leonard reported.

Jim smiled. “Good. So…where do you want to go?”

They debated their choices for a few minutes, then settled on a Thai restaurant they hadn’t tried yet. 

“Bring the printouts of the house listings Estelle sent,” Leonard suggested. “Let’s see which ones we think are worth taking a look at tomorrow, since we were…uh, otherwise occupied…today.”

Jim chuckled at Leonard’s choice of words and headed to the spare room to collect the listings, where they sat in the printer. Coming back into the kitchen, Jim saw that Bones had the laptop open and was typing quickly. He looked up at Jim and gave him a guilty smile. 

“Sorry, just checking my email,” he said. 

“No problem, Bones. If you need, we can…”

“Nope, I’m done,” Leonard said, closing the laptop. A few moments later, they were on their way out.

Jim drove while Leonard paged through the listings. “These are all nice,” Leonard said, “though not what I originally had in mind.”

“I know,” Jim said. “We might have to compromise a bit on some of the details.”

“Well, there’s still some here I think we should see. I’ll show you when we get to the restaurant,” Leonard replied. They drove in comfortable silence for a minute, and then Jim reached over and took Leonard’s hand. 

“I know you must have a million things you could be doing for work, and you’re taking this time out for us…for me. I just…” he paused, looking over at Bones briefly. “Thank you.”

“Jim…there’s nothing to thank me for. I _want_ to spend as much time with you as I can. I love you. I miss you when we’re apart. I’m just sorry I all but disappeared during the week. And I am so grateful for everything you did over the week, especially taking care of Jo.”

Jim squeezed Bones’ hand, and looked over at him with a smile. “Now that’s something you never have to thank me for, Bones. Jo is…it still amazes me how much I love her. As if she were…” he trailed off, but Bones knew exactly what he was going to say.

“Jim, she’s yours in every way that matters the most. You’ve been in her life for almost as long as she’s been alive without you.” He looked over at Jim with a smile. “You’re her oide.”

Jim grinned at that. “Yeah, wow. And how the heck did that happen so fast?”

“You’re telling me,” Leonard replied. “But, Darlin’, I can’t tell you how grateful I am for each day it’s been.”

“Me too, Bones.”

The restaurant was a popular place, and they had a little wait before they were shown to the table. The restaurant sported a nice combination of outdoor water and plant gardens surrounding it, and they strolled along the walking paths, enjoying the temperate night.

“Wanna sit?” Jim asked, gesturing to a bench set back from the walkway.

“Sure.”

They settled down together, and Leonard pressed close to Jim’s side, putting an arm over his shoulders and pulling him close as Jim gave him a kiss as he ran his fingers through the short hair at the base of his neck. Leonard didn’t generally care for overt public displays of affection – partly because he was concerned about other peoples’ reactions when his daughter was with them, but mostly because he was just a private person – but they had a bit of privacy where they were seated, and he smiled and kissed Jim back, then chuckled when Jim’s stomach rumbled loudly.

“Ugh, I’m starving,” Jim said, settling back on the bench.

“How long did they say it’d be?”

“Twenty minutes or so,” Jim replied. “I think I can make it.”

“Glad to hear it, Darlin’. Can’t have you keeling over. I’ve been meaning to ask you, Jim… whatever happened with that kid you were worried about a couple of weeks ago?”

“Ryan?” Jim asked, surprised that he’d remembered.

“Yeah…did you ever manage to meet with him?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. And I’m going to meet with him again. Poor kid’s in a really tough situation.”

They sat and talked, and before they knew it their pager buzzed, summoning them to the front of the restaurant to be seated. It was a good night, and it was exactly what they both needed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Did you guys decide what you want to watch?” Sam asked. He handed Jo a bowl of popcorn and headed back to the kitchen to get the drinks. 

“No, not yet,” Janie said, using the remote to page through the movies available on Netflix. “I want something scary, and I think Jo wants something from Disney.”

“Well, decide kiddos. Maybe something in the middle? How about _Gremlins_? Scary puppets,” Sam suggested. He walked carefully through the blankets and pillows the girls had brought downstairs and made it to the couch, his own snack in hand.

“That’s a good idea, Dad,” Janie replied. “I haven’t seen that movie in forever. Have you seen it Jo?”

Still somewhat reticent around Sam, even after all these years, Jo simply shook her head. 

“Well, Jo…there are three things to know about Mogwais…don’t get them wet, don’t feed them after midnight, and no bright light,” Sam said, counting on his fingers as he spoke.

Jo listened with a puzzled look on her face. “I have no idea what that means,” she said.

“Dad, you’re such a dork,” Janie laughed, rolling her eyes at her father. Sam smiled, shrugging. 

“You know what that makes you?” he asked his daughter, gently nudging her back with a sock-clad foot.

“Unfortunate?” Janie suggested, and Jo smiled, amused at the banter between them.

“Nope…a dork by parental association.”

“Whatever…I’m awesome,” Janie replied, turning her attention back to the tv. “Is everyone ready? I’m gonna start the movie. Dad, can you turn off that light?”

“Ready,” Jo said, making herself comfortable in the blanket with her back to the couch.

“Go for it,” Sam said, reaching to snap off the light near the couch and pull his laptop from the side table to him. He looked down fondly at the blonde and brunette heads sitting close to each other as they shared the popcorn. Jo was such an integral part of their family, when she was here it was like he had another child. And he knew Jim and Leonard felt the same way about his children. And as the movie started, his mind drifted to the third child he was soon to have – his little boy.

Aurelan was out of town at an interior decorator’s convention, and he was waiting for her nightly call. He hadn’t wanted her to go, concerned about her being on her feet and dealing with all the extra stress that came with being involved as a vendor at one of those things. Most of the time, it was no big deal. But she was six months pregnant, and ten years older than she was the last time she’d had a baby. The doctor had confirmed that although the pregnancy was a surprise, and not something they’d been planning for, or taking proper care of, Aurelan and the baby were doing fine. But she’d also been very clear about the risks – to both mom and baby – a pregnancy at Aurelan’s age carried. All he wanted was for his wife and his baby to be healthy. Aurelan had promised that she’d take it easy – not push herself too hard and rest when she was tired – and call every day. So far, so good. 

Sam smiled as the girls giggled at something in the movie, glancing up from the laptop. Janie had been very good about keeping herself quiet and calm, and there hadn’t been any other incidents for the rest of the day. He sincerely hoped they could make it through Sunday, until they could get her back to the doctor. There was nothing scarier than seeing one of his children in distress and not being able to do anything about it. Thankfully, they’d been blessed with healthy children. Kimmie’s head injury a few years ago, and now this possible asthma situation with Janie were really the only things ever wrong – outside the normal sniffles and occasional upset stomach.

Sam checked the time and considering calling Aurelan to see how she was doing, concerned that it was getting a little later than she said she’d call, but just then the cellphone rang in his hand.

Smiling, he answered before the first ring even finished. “Hey, Babe. How’re you doing?”

“Daddy, shh!” Janie admonished him.

“One second hon,” he said to Aurelan. He stood, and bent to gently tug on a lock of Janie’s hair. “Watch it, miss.”

“Sorry,” she said, glancing up at him.

 _”Everything okay?”_ Aurelan asked, hearing the exchange.

“Oh yeah…just Janie forgetting herself a little. So how was your day?” Sam asked, settling in the quiet and mostly dark den, a separate room that used to be the girls’ playroom when they were younger. Leaning back on the couch, the soundtrack to the movie playing in the background, he closed his eyes and listened while his wife described her day. 

_”How are things there? Did you go to the beach today?”_ Aurelan asked when she was done describing how the day in the convention hall had gone.

“Yes, we did. Jim, Leonard and Janie too. The girls had fun.” He told her about their day, and they spent a few minutes discussing the situation with Janie, the issue she had today, and Leonard’s advice.

 _”Oh, my poor girl,”_ Aurelan said. _”I hate the thought of something like this hanging over her, stopping her from all her activities.”_

“Let’s not borrow trouble,” Sam said soothingly. “Hopefully, if it is actually asthma, it’ll be easy to control and won’t really affect her at all.”

_”I hope so. I know it’ll just be the answering service until Monday, but can you call…”_

“Already done,” Sam said, having anticipated what Aurelan would want. “I left a message for the doctor and let them know we were bringing her in first thing Monday morning, so to clear a a time for us.”

In her hotel room, Aurelan smiled. She eased back on the large, soft bed, a hand on her expanding midsection. “You’re the absolute best. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Sam replied. “So, what are you doing now?”

 _”Now I’m going to call room service and get something to eat, take a hot shower, and get to sleep.”_ Aurelan said, leaving out how much her feet and back ached from running around all day.

“Sounds good. Wish I were there with you,” Sam said.

 _”Mm…me too,”_ Aurelan said, closing her eyes as she lay there, relishing the stretch of her spine. _“You think we can get your brother and Leo to take our two for a long weekend?”_

“Oh, I bet we could,” Sam replied. “I’m sure they’d be happy to do it.”

They talked a few more minutes, then said their goodbyes. “Make sure you get enough sleep, honey. Don’t push yourself too hard. When do you think you’ll be home?”

_”I’ll be on the road by two, so I should be home by, what? Five or six? Depending on traffic.”_

Sam sighed, bringing a hand to his eyes. “And you’re driving with Susan, right?” he asked, really not liking the idea of Aurelan driving that far by herself. 

_”Right,”_ she said. _”Although, I am perfectly capable of driving myself.”_

“I know you are, hon. It’s just…” Sam trailed off, as Aurelan laughed softly on the other end of the line.

 _“I love you, Samuel Kirk, you know that? I love how much you worry about me. But there’s no need,”_ Aurelan said. _”And I’ll see you tomorrow.”_

Sam smiled softly, picturing the teasing smile on his wife’s face. “Love you too. See you tomorrow.”


	7. Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim is worried about a child who he thinks is being abused at home, and he struggles with the best way to handle the situation. Later, he, Bones and Joanna go to a dinner party at Dr. Yohe’s house to find out about Bones’ future at the hospital in light of the failure of his trial. While there, though, Jim is unsettled by what he thinks is a developing problem that scares him more than he’s able to express, and the night ends with them at odds with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter deals with fall-out from growing up with an alcoholic, and how that might effect a current relationship. It is possible that some might find it upsetting.

Jim looked up from his notes to the presentation on the screen, then to the men and women gathered around the large conference room table. He was talking to a group of guidance counselors from schools all over the San Francisco Unified School District, and he knew he had people from elementary, middle, and high schools here today. Because of that, he was being careful to insert situational examples appropriate to all age groups when dealing with specific behavioral situations. Often, these mini-seminars focused on the more general topic of bullying. Not today, though. Today, they were talking about how to help students caught up in the foster care system.  
  
Being in foster care could be a frightening and lonely experience. Children are taken away from everything they know, handed to strangers and often put into a new school, too. And if the child is moved to a new family, chances are good they’d end up in another new school as well. It was a bad situation all around, and could lead to the kids caught up in this cycle to exhibit behaviors all the way up and down the spectrum, from acting out to becoming completely withdrawn.  
  
There were things schools, and the kids’ teachers, could do to help provide a little more stability for them, though. And a lot of it was proactive. Jim was just finishing up talking about some of those things that could be done to help a child deal with the situation they were in, including making sure the Guidance Counselor called the child’s social worker and foster parent to come in and go over the educational history.  
  
He finished up his talk, then smiled encouragingly at the room and asked for questions or discussion. There were a few good questions and points to talk about, and it was another twenty minutes before Jim was able to wrap it up. Although he was always happy to hold these types of seminars, he was eager to get going today. He was planning on visiting one of the middle schools today, and it was already almost 1pm.  
  
After Jim managed to say goodbye to everyone and make it out of the building, he hurried to his car, backpack slung over his shoulder. He settled behind the wheel and cursed when his cell phone started ringing.  
  
Turning the car on, he glanced at the screen before answering.  
  
“Hey Bones!” he said brightly. “What’s up?”  
  
 _”Hey yourself,”_  Leonard said.  _”You sound rushed. Everything okay?”_  
  
Jim smiled as he switched to hands-free and carefully check over his shoulders before pulling out.  
  
“Everything’s fine, just running a little late. I had a conference at the headquarters this morning that went a bit long, and now I’m trying to get to a school before the bell rings.”  
  
 _”Well, don’t rush, Darlin’. Better to get there late than not.”_  
  
Jim chuckled affectionately, appreciating how much Bones cared for him. “I’m always careful, Bones, promise. Everything okay with you?”  
  
 _”Yes, actually…maybe even a little better than okay. You have anything going on tonight?”_  
  
Jim raised his eyebrows in surprise. “No…nothing beyond the usual. Why, what’s up?”  
  
 _“I’ve been asked to dinner by Dr. Peter Yohe, the head of the Neurology Department at the hospital, to discuss a new project he thinks I should focus on.”_  
  
“Oh, that’s great!” Jim exclaimed. “Or, uh…”  
  
 _”Yes, Jim – it’s great. I didn’t think I was going to end up having to look for a new job, even though the trial didn’t go the way we were all hoping…but it’s good to know that for sure.”_  
  
Jim nodded, his heart feeling lighter for Bones. He’d been so concerned about how the trial’s failure was going to affect the family – and having that worry on top of the crushing disappointment of the failure itself…it had weighed heavily on Bones, and Jim hated that. He hated that there was nothing he could do to make him feel better.  
  
“Well, no worries, Bones. I’ll be home for Jo, so you go and…”  
  
 _”Oh…no Jim, that’s not what I meant. We’re all invited.”_  
  
“Oh, really? You want me to come?”  
  
 _”Of course!”_  
  
“And what about Jo?” Jim asked.  
  
 _”She’s invited too. Yohe has a couple of kids who will be there. It’s just an informal dinner party at his house.”_  
  
“Well…great!” Jim replied. “That sounds good. What time are we supposed to be there?”  
  
 _”By seven. So we’ll all meet at home and go together, okay?”_  
  
“Sounds perfect. I’ll meet you at home. Love you, Bones.”  
  
 _”Love you too, Darlin’. See you in a while.”_  
  
Jim was grinning as they disconnected. On top of the good news this dinner party seemed to indicate, the fact that Bones so easily wanted to include him just made his day. It had been a hallmark of their relationship from the very beginning…Bones had never really worried about what other people might think about the fact that he loved a man, and he never failed to include Jim in events where a significant other was expected.  
  
That had surprised Jim, in the beginning. Now it wasn’t a surprise, but it was something that still gave him a little thrill. He never felt like he belonged more than when he was with Bones.  
  
A short while later, he pulled into the faculty parking lot of Everett Middle School and exited the car as he checked his cellphone for the time. He was relieved to see he’d actually made it there with a few minutes to spare and he hurried across the lot to the building.  
  
His sneakers squeaked on the linoleum as he made his way down the wide, brightly-lit hallway. Class was in session, so it was mostly quiet with just the sounds of students and teachers behind closed doors reaching his ears. Turning a corner, he smiled as he saw someone he recognized standing on a stepstool at one of the bulletin boards, changing the display.  
  
“Anna!” Jim said, getting her attention. The pretty blonde stepped down and turned, smiling as she recognized him.  
  
“Jim, good to see you,” she said. “How have you been?”  
  
“Oh, busy, as usual. You?”  
  
“The same,” she said. She gestured to the board she’d been working on. “Just trying to keep things up to date. Are you here to see Ryan?”  
  
Anna had been one of the first people to alert Jim to the fact that something seemed off with the boy. Ryan was withdrawn in class, when he wasn’t acting out, and Anna had seen behind the surliness. Ryan spent a lot of time in the library, and she realized that the attitude might be hiding something more. She’d made a point to ask Jim to speak with him after he’d given a talk to the faculty about recognizing the signs of trouble in preteens. Jim had managed to speak with him just a couple of times, and he was back again today to see if he could make any more progress with him.  
  
“Yes, I am. Have you seen him lately?”  
  
“Hmm, no,” Anna replied. “It’s been a couple of days since he’s come down to the library. But that’s not necessarily unusual. Thanks though, for making the effort with him. I just…I always wish there’s something else I can do for him when he looks so…I don’t know…so down.”  
  
“You’ve done a lot, Anna,” Jim said sincerely. “You  _noticed_. And because of that, now his teachers know something might be up, and the VP, and his guidance counselor, and me.”  
  
“Yes, well…it just doesn’t feel like it’s enough.”  
  
“No, I know. It usually doesn’t. I gotta get going, but it was good to see you again.”  
  
“You too,” she said, giving him a smile. “Have a good one…and let me know if you think there’s anything I can do to help.”  
  
“Will do, Anna. Bye.”  
  
Jim continued down the hallway and let himself into the Main Office, holding up his identification badge as he let himself into the back. He spent a few minutes speaking with the VP because Ryan’s Guidance Counselor was out, and he was disappointed to realize that the man had no idea about the situation.  
  
“Well, I’d like to see Ryan,” Jim said, snapping his notebook closed. “Would you mind calling him up here?”  
  
“Sure. You can take a seat in the conference room with the window, and I’ll have him brought up.”  
  
Jim settled in the conference room, grateful that the school had a room like this, with a large window set into one of the walls. He’d be able to talk with Ryan privately, but have the protection of visibility.  
  
A few minutes pass by, during which Jim reviewed what he’d been able to learn about Ryan so far. He was the older of two children. His little sister was a third grader at a nearby elementary school, and they didn’t live with either of their parents. His mom and dad were serving time for drugs, theft, and endangering the welfare of a child, and they were living with the mother’s cousin, and her boyfriend.  
  
The last time they met, Ryan had confided that he’d begged this cousin…a virtual stranger that he knew only because she sometimes came around the apartment before the parents were arrested…to take them in. He was terrified of being put into the system and getting separated from his little sister.  
  
But this new living situation didn’t really sound much better, as far as Jim was concerned. He pretty much took care of his little sister and himself, with his mom’s cousin – Lisa – providing nothing but a roof and food. He stayed tight-lipped about his situation, however, not wanting to draw any attention to himself that might result in a call to Child Protective Services.  
  
Interrupting his thoughts, the door opened quietly behind him, and Ryan came into the room, accompanied by one of the receptionists from the front.  
  
“Thanks,” Jim said to her. “If you could just close the door…” He trailed off as he got a look at Ryan’s face. A fading, discolored bruise covered nearly his whole right cheek and arched up towards his eye. Focusing completely on the boy who had taken a seat silently while keeping his eyes averted, Jim swallowed his first reaction. He’d learned that approaching Ryan directly wasn’t going to get him anywhere.  
  
But Ryan had apparently come ready to answer questions, because before Jim could say anything, he glanced up at him, flushing under Jim’s gaze.  
  
“I got in a fight with a kid on the bus ‘cause he was messing with Jody. It’s no big deal.”  
  
He met Jim’s eyes again, defiantly. Jim could also see desperation there.  
  
“Ryan….” he said quietly. “Tell me the truth. Was it Lisa’s boyfriend?”  
  
Jim’s heart went out to him as the boy’s eyes flooded with tears that he held firmly in check. His chin trembled, but he swallowed hard and grit his teeth, waiting until he had himself back in control.  
  
“It was a kid on the bus,” he repeated firmly. “I don’t want to talk about it.”  
  
Because he wanted Ryan to trust him, Jim backed down. But he knew he couldn’t let this go.

 

  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
“Daddy, should I wear this dress?” Jo asked, coming in to his room with a simple blue dress with a white butterfly print coming up one side and crossing the skirt. It was a dress that Aurelan had bought for her a couple of months ago.  
  
“Sure, honey,” Leonard said. “You look beautiful in that dress.”  
  
He eyed his daughter, seeing at the same time the little kid she’d been and the preteen she was growing in to, and smiled.  
  
“What are you going to do with that hair?” he asked.  
  
Jo shrugged. “Ask Oide to French braid it for me,” she replied. “Is that okay?”  
  
“Sounds good. Why don’t you go ahead and give it a brush and get it a little wet before you put on the dress so it’s easier for Jim to braid it. We’re going to have to leave pretty soon when he gets home.”  
  
“Ok, good idea.”  
  
Jo left to take care of getting herself ready and Leonard turned back to his choices, trying to determine if a small dinner party at his boss’ house called for wearing a tie.  
  
As he was brushing his teeth, he heard the alarm system beep, and knew that Jim was home. Moments later, Jim was saying hello to Jo and confirming that he would braid her hair for her in just a few minutes.  
  
“Hey Bones…sorry I’m so late,” he said, coming in to their bedroom. “It’ll only take me a few minutes to get ready.”  
  
“No problem Jim,” he said, finally deciding that a tie wasn’t necessary and settling for a shirt that Jim had bought for him and dark colored slacks. “Everything ok?”  
  
Jim hesitated before answering. “Everything’s okay with me,” he answered. “Ryan, though…that kid has a hard life. I just wish there was something else I could do for him.”  
  
Hearing the sadness in Jim’s voice, Leonard turned to him and pulled him into a hug. Jim held on, grateful that Leonard always seemed to know what he needed.  
  
“I’m sorry, Darlin’,” he said. “I know you’re doing everything you can for him.”  
  
“Mmm…maybe not this time,” Jim admitted. This had weighed on him the whole ride home. Ryan had insisted that he’d gotten into a fight on the bus, and no matter what Jim did, how he came at it, he didn’t budge.  
  
Technically, because Jim had strong suspicions, he probably should’ve called Child Protective Services. But Jim knew the score…it would be at least a week before they sent anyone out to check on the situation, and the bruise, which was already fading, would be gone.  
  
“I could’ve taken a picture of him, Bones,” Jim said, pulling away. He moved to the closet as he changed out of his school clothing and pulled a new shirt out to change in to. “I probably should’ve. But…he’s so desperate to stay out of the system, so afraid of getting separated from his little sister. I figured maybe I should talk to Lisa and the boyfriend first.”  
  
They were interrupted by a knock on the door and Jo asking if Jim could braid her hair now. Putting aside his concerns for now, Jim focused on his family – on braiding Jo’s hair and going to this dinner party with Bones’ boss. There was nothing else he could do about it today.  
  
A few minutes later, everyone got in the car and they were headed to Peter Yohe’s home.  
  
“Daddy, how many kids are going to be there?” Jo asked.  
  
“Just two, I think, Darlin’. Dr. Yohe’s son, who’s a little younger than you, and his daughter, who’s a little older.”  
  
“Okay,” Jo said, and she fell silent in the back seat, clutching her eReader. Leonard and Jim exchanged smiles, so grateful that things like this, that would’ve been impossible for Jo without major anxiety even as recently as a year ago, weren’t such a big deal now. Especially when Jo knew they were going to still be there with her, and she could bring something like her eReader to help her get away a little if necessary.  
  
“Remember, Jo,” Jim said, turning in the front seat to look at her. “If you feel like you need some time to yourself, just tell them you have to get some reading for homework done, okay?”  
  
“Okay,” she said again, giving Jim a grateful smile. It wasn’t impossible for her, but it still wasn’t quite a walk in the park either.  
  
“How many other couples are going to be there?” Jim asked.  
  
“I think just one other couple, a neurologist who specializes in cancer research and her husband, and our hosts.”  
  
“Do they all know about…us?” Jim asked. He didn’t think that Leonard would just walk him and his daughter into a situation like this with people he didn’t already trust to some degree, and it was a little late to be asking, but he wanted to know what he was getting in to.  
  
Leonard glanced over at him and took his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “Yes, they do. I don’t hide my home life from my colleagues. No one’s ever had anything negative to say.”  
  
Reassured, Jim squeezed his hand back. “Do you think this has something to do with your trial?” Jim asked.  
  
Leonard nodded. “Yeah, I do. Remember I told you about how we found out that the drug we were trying stopped blood vessels from growing and how that affected tumors?”  
  
Jim nodded. Not an insignificant discovery, he’d been so proud of the work Bones was doing. Even though the deep medical discussions were over his head, he got the gist of it, and the bottom line was, Bones’ discovery could make a huge difference for a lot of people fighting cancer. He’d given the doctors another weapon in their arsenal.  
  
“But Bones…does this mean you’ll have to give up all the work you’ve done on finding a way to treat ALS?” Jim asked quietly. That had been Bones’ focus for so long, and he was so personally invested in it, Jim couldn’t imagine him just abandoning that work.  
  
Leonard looked over at him as they pulled up to a stoplight. “No…I’m never going to give up on finding a way to treat ALS. I’ll keep researching and maybe see if I can consult on the parallel drug trial – the one with lenalidomide. And maybe, if I take everything I learned from my trial, I’ll come up with something else to try. But in the meantime, I don’t want to give up the position I have, and I need to keep being an asset.” He turned his attention back to the road, a slight smile on his face. “It’s important to me…it always will be…but there are other things in my life that take center stage.”  
  
Jim nodded. He understood.  
  
“Yeah, like me!” Jo piped up from the backseat. “And getting us a house.” Both Leonard and Jim chuckled and Bones caught Jo’s eyes in the rearview mirror.  
  
“Exactly.”  
  
A few minutes later they pulled through gates that had been left open for tonight, up to a beautiful home and Leonard parked next to another car.  
  
“Wow…”Jo said, looking out of the window. “Is that just one house?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s a big one,” Leonard agreed. “Best behavior tonight, right Darlin’.”  
  
“Right, Daddy,”  
  
As Leonard and Jo talked, Jim took a deep breath and swallowed, surprised at how nervous he felt. He hadn’t really had time to think about it…but they were walking into a situation with Bones’  _boss_  and colleagues. Bones was brilliant. If these people were anything like him…  
  
“Hey…” Leonard said, pausing as he opened his car door. He waited until Jim was looking at him. “I want you here, Jim. You belong here, with me and Jo. Okay?”  
  
Feeling buoyed by Bones’ sincere words, Jim smiled and nodded, then let himself out of the car, nerves tamed.  
  
Leonard and Jim each took one of Jo’s hands and headed up to the door.  
  
They were warmly welcomed at the door by Judith Yohe – Dr. Yohe’s wife.  
  
“Hello Judith,” Leonard said. “You look lovely, as always.”  
  
Jim looked over at him in amusement, not used to seeing him use his accent to help lay on the charm.  
  
“And you’re as kind as always, Leo,” she said, reaching to give him a hug.  
  
Leonard smiled, and then turned to Jim, putting a hand at the small of his back. “This is Jim Kirk, my better half.”  
  
Jim smiled brilliantly, more because of Leonard’s words than anything else. “So nice to meet you Judith.”  
  
“And you…I’ve heard a lot about you from a friend of mine.” She shook his hand and looked at him intently. “I hope you and I can get a few minutes to talk tonight.”  
  
“Definitely,” Jim said. “I look forward to it.”  
  
Judith then turned her attention to Jo, who was standing slightly behind Jim, staying close to her father.  
  
“And you must be Joanna,” Judith said. “What a lovely dress.”  
  
Jo offered her a small smile. “Thank you.” She paused, then looked up again, “Thank you for inviting me to come tonight, too,”  
  
“Well, we’re so happy to have you. Ava and Eddie – my daughter and son – have been talking about meeting you all day. So, please, follow me…”  
  
She led them into the house where they greeted Peter – the head of Leonard’s department – and the other couple, Dr. Julissa Maldonado and her husband Marco. In the presence of so many adults she didn’t know, Jo shrank back, automatically reaching for her father’s hand. Seeing Jo’s discomfort, Judith reached a hand out to her.  
  
“Joanna, the kids must be upstairs. Would you like to come with me and I’ll introduce you? We still have a few minutes before dinner is ready.”  
  
Jo hesitated, glancing up at her father uncertainly who gave her an encouraging nod.  
  
“Yes, thank you,” she said, slipping her hand into Judith’s and allowing herself to be led away. As she left the room with Mrs. Yohe, Jo heard the adults’ conversation pick up again. She swallowed, trading one set of nerves for another as she tried to focus on what Mrs. Yohe was saying.  
  
“…bet they’re watching a movie…ah, yes…Ava, Eddie, pause that for a moment please.”  
  
Mrs. Yohe had led her to a room that was like a small movie theater. It had the biggest tv screen Jo had ever seen and had ten seats just like at the movies. The movie that was currently playing,  _How to Train Your Dragon_ , froze in place and two dark-headed children turned to look at them.  
  
Discreetly, Jo pulled her hand free of Mrs. Yohe’s and grasped her e-reader tightly to her body, folding her arms in front of her, and focusing her gaze somewhere on the carpeted floor.  
  
“This is Joanna, Dr. McCoy’s daughter,” she said, placing gentle hands on her shoulders and urging her forward.  
  
“Hi!” Ava said brightly. She looked up at her mom, who nodded at her encouragingly. “We were so happy to hear you were coming tonight.” Ava came around the seats and stopped in front of her. Joanna looked up, wanting to be polite and eager to make a new friend, even though it was hard.  
  
“Hi. Um…thank you,” Jo said.  
  
Eddie had come to join his sister, and as Ava was a couple years older than Jo, and taller than her, Eddie was a couple years younger, and shorter than her. He thrust a toy dragon in her face.  
  
“Do you like dragons? Do you know there’s good dragons and bad dragons?” Eddie asked, and Jo smiled.  
  
“As a matter of fact, I do,” Jo replied.  
  
Happy that she seemed to have an opening, Ava tried again: “We were watching ‘How to Train Your Dragon’. Would you like to watch with us?”  
  
“Sure,” Jo replied, finally making eye contact with Ava and returning her friendly smile.  
  
Satisfied that the kids were good to go by themselves for a little while, Judith turned to go. “Ava,” she said, “please come on downstairs in thirty minutes.”  
  
“Okay, Mom,” she said, checking her watch to make sure she didn’t miss the time.  
  
Needing to check on the dinner, Judith detoured through the kitchen, smiling to herself as she heard laughter come from the den. Satisfied with the progress dinner was making, she quickly put together a salad of field greens and then pulled out roasted red and golden beets to go with it.  
  
In the den, Peter was pouring drinks for everyone, and Jim politely declined, deciding to stick with seltzer water for the time being. He watched as Bones  _and everyone else…it’s not a big deal_  accepted a martini, and he had to consciously push aside his automatic feeling of unease. It was an overreaction. He knew it. He tried to make himself believe it.  
  
Everyone was sitting comfortably, the conversation ranging over a couple of subjects, and Jim found himself more than once meeting Marco Maldonado’s eyes with a slight smile. As the “significant others” in the room, who were not part of the Neurology Department, they ended up drifting away from the main conversation and talking quietly together. A real estate agent himself, Marco was giving Jim some tips on where to look for houses in areas outside the city, where they were much more likely to find the type of house and land Leonard was interested in.  
  
Judith was here and there, putting the finishing touches on the dinner and declining help when offered, saying that as a former caterer, this was one of her favorite things to do, and she had everything under control.  
  
Ava, Eddie and Jo came into the kitchen at the time Judith had asked, and she paused to give her daughter and son a quick kiss as a thank you for being on time. She showed the children what the adults would be eating, and then showed them what they could have instead, if they preferred.  
  
“I don’t want any salad, Mama. But I do want the macaroni and cheese and chicken.”  
  
“You have to have something green, Eddie,” Judith said, with a smile. “How about I cut up a cucumber for you?”  
  
“Yeah, okay.”  
  
“Okay,” she repeated, pulling a cucumber out of the fridge. One down. “Ava?”  
  
“I’ll have what the adults are having,” Ava said. “I like all of that.”  
  
“Even the beets?” Judith checked.  
  
“Yes…but just a couple of them.”  
  
“Just a couple…check. Okay, Joanna – like Ava and Eddie, you can choose what you’d like to have for dinner.”  
  
“Umm…” Jo hesitated, unsure of what to do. She wasn’t used to choices like this. At home, she ate what they made, and if was something she’d never had before, she tried it. Most of the time she liked it. She felt herself flush with embarrassment as Ava, Eddie, and Mrs. Yohe waited for her decision.  
  
Finally she just decided to go with what she knew. “Could I please have the salad without the beets, and the chicken, and the rice.”  
  
“No mac and cheese?” Judith checked.  
  
“No, thank you,” Jo replied. The only mac and cheese she ever liked was the kind Oide made, and she didn’t want to risk it.  
  
“Alright Eddie, will you please show Jo the restroom to wash her hands, and then you wash too.”  
  
“Okay, c’mon Jo,” Eddie said, and led her out of the kitchen.  
  
“Ava, can you please get water for everyone, and I already put a little pitcher of lemonade and glasses on the table. Then you wash up too.”  
  
“Okay,” Ava replied.  
  
Judith had been assembling salad plates, and she quickly carried them out to the dining room table in a couple of trips. A smaller, separate table was set for the children as well and she brought out their plates too. The salad plates delivered, Judith went to the den and invited everyone to the table.  
  
Jim and Leonard and the other couple followed Peter to the dining room, and were surprised to see Jo and the two Yohe children already seated a separate table set off to the side. Leonard and Jim took seats close to the table so they could look be close to her. Jo seemed happy, and relaxed. Her e-reader was nowhere to be seen. Good signs.  
  
“Hi Baby,” Leonard said, as he sat. Jim looked over at her too, giving her a smile and a wink. “Doing okay?”  
  
“Yes, Dad, I’m fine,” she replied. “Mrs. Yohe made special things for us to eat instead of what you’re having.”  
  
“Oh really?” Leonard asked, suddenly curious as to what was coming after the beet salad. “What are you having?”  
  
“Chicken, rice and this salad,” Jo replied.  
  
“I’m just having cucumbers,” Eddie piped up, and Ava rolled her eyes.  
  
“Just cucumbers? For your whole dinner?” Jim asked, an exaggerated look of surprise on his face.  
  
Eddie chuckled. “No…just instead of a salad. I’m also having chicken and mac and cheese.”  
  
“Jim?”  
  
Peter interrupted their conversation, offering him a glass of wine with his salad.  
  
“No, thank you,” Jim replied. “I would like another water, though.”  
  
“Sure, one second.”  
  
Jim met Leonard’s eyes and did his best to convey his silent message, but when Peter came back with a couple of bottles of Perrier and a glass for Jim, Leonard didn’t seem to pick up on it, and accepted another drink when Peter offered it.  
  
Clenching his jaw and looking back down at the glass clenched in his hand, he silently berated himself for not saying something before they got here.  
  
 _But he should_  know  _not to drink. He knows I don’t like it!_  Jim thought as he felt his annoyance rising.  
  
“Jim?”  
  
Judith’s voice shook him out of his thoughts.  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jim replied, quickly putting a smile on his face. “What were you saying?”  
  
Everyone settled at the table to enjoy the meal Judith had prepared. While she enlisted her husband’s help in bringing out the main dish – crab-stuffed eggplant with roasted root vegetables – Jim took the opportunity to lean over and speak quietly to Leonard.  
  
“Bones, can you switch to water please?” Jim asked.  
  
Leonard looked over at him, surprised at his tone of voice.  
  
“Jim, we’re at a dinner party. I haven’t even had two drinks in two hours. What’s the problem?”  
  
Annoyed, Jim clenched his jaw and sat back, not wanting to get into it. As far as he was concerned, Leonard should know what the problem was.  
  
Leonard eyed Jim with concern, and after a second reached for his hand under the table. Jim didn’t pull away, but it took a few seconds before he squeezed back. Apparently Jim wasn’t as okay with things as he’d tried to make himself out to be the last time they discussed this.  
  
And really, Leonard had to concede to himself, he’d known that.  
  
The rest of the dinner went by quickly, with conversation and laughter, and the children all ended up joining the adults at the table for dessert before asking to be excused.  
  
“Just another half an hour, Baby,” Leonard said, giving her a hug before Ava and Eddie led her off to show her their rooms and play. “Tomorrow’s still a school day.”  
  
She nodded. “Okay, Dad.”  
  
Everyone helped Judith clear the table, then Leonard, Julissa, and Pete retired to the den to discuss the situation with the Neuro department and what could come next for Leonard. Jim watched them go, trying to tamp down the concern he was feeling. Bones was right…he hadn’t done anything that was improper. But Jim still couldn’t ignore the slightly sick feeling in his gut as he watched Bones drink more tonight and the last few days than he had in the last few months.  
  
 _Unless…that wasn’t the case._  The little voice that started when he was a child piped up again, just as loud as it used to be. Resisting the urge to follow them and put a glass of water in Leonard’s hand, Jim turned his attention to Judith and Marco. He focused on their conversation, and did his best to put his concerns out of his mind.  
  
A little less than an hour later, Jim, Leonard and Jo were saying goodbye to their hosts. As they headed to their car, Jim unobtrusively took the keys from Leonard’s hand. He let them go easily, despite the fact that he was fairly certain he was fine. They had things they still needed to talk about and work through. Obviously.  
  
The drive home was a quiet one. Tired from a full day and up later than she was used to, Jo sat sleepily in the backseat, head resting against the window. Leonard and Jim were quiet too, but Leonard could see in the hard line of Jim’s jaw and the set of his shoulders that he was tense.  
  
“Hey,” Leonard said quietly. Jim glanced over at him, and he offered a small smile. “What were you and Judith talking about?”  
  
Jim sighed and flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. There was a lot he wanted to say, and really none of it had to do with what he and Judith talked about. And he was annoyed at Leonard’s attempts to act like everything was fine. Bones had to know he was upset. And he had to know why. He just wanted quiet so he could work through everything he was thinking before they got home. He wanted to talk, but nothing he wanted to talk about was for Jo to hear.  
  
“She wants me to write a book,” Jim said, answering Leonard’s question shortly.  
  
That took a second to register. “Write a book?” Leonard repeated. “Like…about educational psychology? A textbook?”  
  
“Mmm…more like a book for parents about different ways to help them engage their children in learning, based upon the most common learning styles.”  
  
“Huh. That actually sounds like an excellent idea,” Leonard said. “And…she works for a publisher now, doesn’t she?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jim replied, warming to the idea. It  _was_  an exciting proposition. “She said she saw one of my presentations at the California Educators Association seminar, and then looked up other things I’d written and some of the programs I created.”  
  
“Well…wow! That is really, really great Jim! Congratulations!” Leonard said sincerely, reaching for his arm and squeezing it tightly.  
  
“Thanks…but I’m not sure I want to do it, yet,” Jim replied, glancing over at him and finally letting himself smile a little. “I don’t even know where I’d start.”  
  
“The best place to start is at the beginning,” came Jo’s sleepy voice from the backseat.  
  
“Who’s that Baby?” Leonard asked, glancing back at her.  
  
“Glinda, the good witch of Oz,” she replied.  
  
“Good advice, Jo,” Jim said. He thought about it for a moment, and realized that it may actually be  _very_  good advice. Sometimes simple was the way to go.  
  
But he’d have to think about that later on. They had enough on their plates for now.  
  
A short while later, Jim turned onto their street and Leonard turned again to look back at Jo, who was looking as sleepy as ever.  
  
“Darlin’, pajamas and bed as soon as we get home.”  
  
“Okay, Daddy,” she said, pushing herself upright and rubbing her eyes.  
  
Jim looked at her in the rearview mirror, hearing how tired she sounded. “We’re here, sweetie. This is our street.”  
  
Jo nodded, and yawned.  
  
Moments later they were parked and Jim was unlocking the front door. Joanna headed back towards her bedroom right away, closing the door so she could change into her pajamas. Jim lingered in the kitchen, and Leonard followed his lead.  
  
“Bones…” Jim started, but paused when Leonard shook his head.  
  
“I know we need to talk, but not until Jo is in bed. I don’t want her to go overhearin’ something.”  
  
Jim nodded, and turned away from him, heading to their room as he unbuttoned the shirt he was wearing. Leonard stayed in the kitchen and heaved a tired sigh. All he wanted was to get undressed and relax with Jim, talk about everything that had been decided tonight, the possibility of Jim writing a book, and maybe look over some of the listings their realtor had sent them earlier in the day.  
  
But no. That was not on the schedule for tonight.  
  
Leonard tried not to feel resentful of that.  
  
Opening the fridge, he pulled out a pitcher of juice and poured himself a cup, as he pulled his thoughts together. Contrary to what Jim seemed to think, he wasn’t drunk at all, and he hadn’t planned to get drunk at his boss’ house. He knew that Jim didn’t care for him to drink, but just a few days ago he’d said he trusted him. But tonight….it certainly didn’t seem that way.  
  
Leonard put his cup in the sink and headed to Jo’s room. He found her already curled up under her blanket, Jack curled up on top, in the crook of her bent knees. The only light on in her room the small lamp on her desk. He pushed her door open and crossed to her bed to kiss her goodnight. She was already asleep, her long lashes brushing the top of her cheeks. He smoothed her soft back and pulled her blanket up. A noise behind him alerted him to Jim’s presence. He came in to the room and Leonard moved away so that Jim could press a kiss to her head. Leonard switched off the lamp as Jim straightened and they quietly left her room, pulling the door closed behind them.  
  
Jim headed down the hall, and Leonard followed. By silent agreement, they headed through the kitchen and out the back door to the garden.  
  
Jim walked further away from the door into the darkness, but Leonard could see how tense he was, his arms crossed over his chest as he hunched in on himself. He looked closed off and defensive…and it wasn’t hard to imagine him as the angry, hurt child he used to be.  
  
Jim heard Leonard sigh behind him, and he struggled with what he wanted to say. He didn’t know how to put what he was feeling into words. He couldn’t put a single name to the uncomfortable feelings that had twisted inside of him since that night about two weeks ago when Leonard had helped himself to a drink, and then had stayed at the hospital late to drink with a colleague, and then tonight, had a couple of drinks during the dinner party.  
  
Observing the back of his head, Leonard sighed again. “Jim…”  
  
“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Jim said quietly.  
  
“That’s what it feels like,” Leonard replied.  
  
Jim was silent for a long time, and Leonard moved closer to him, walking around him so that they were standing face to face, even though Jim kept his eyes down.  
  
“Jim,” Leonard said, ducking a little to try to meet his eyes. He reached out, longing to comfort with touch, but pulled back before making contact. “I’m not Frank,” he said gently. “Alcohol isn’t going to make me hurt you, or leave you, or do something stupid. I don’t have a drinking problem. I never did…not even when everything was happening with Jocelyn, or my dad … or when I was in college.”  
  
Jim looked up finally, and in his eyes Leonard could see the conflict he was feeling. “Frank didn’t start out with a drinking problem either, Bones. We’ve been together for five years, and I think I’ve seen you drink more in the last two weeks than in all those five years put together. And…and I can’t just ignore that.” He paused, looking away. “It scares me,” he admitted softly. He swallowed hard. “I can’t do it again. I can’t go through as an adult what I went through as a kid. I love you too much to be able to live through losing you like that.”  
  
“Oh, Jim,” Leonard said, his heart breaking. It seemed like such a simple, stupid thing to him. He was beginning to really understand how far from that it was for Jim. He wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly. Jim uncrossed his arms and held Leonard around his waist, letting his head rest on Leonard’s shoulder. “You aren’t going to have to go through that again. I won’t do that to you.”  
  
And Jim knew Leonard believed that. But his experience had taught him that no matter what someone said, it ultimately didn’t matter. Not when it came to this.  
  
“What can I do to make you believe me?” Leonard asked.  
  
“Why didn’t you do like I asked tonight?” Jim questioned. “Why did you continue to drink when I asked you to switch to water?”  
  
Still holding Jim, Leonard shrugged slightly. “I didn’t agree with you. I still don’t. I wasn’t drunk…wasn’t anywhere near being drunk, and it was a dinner party.”  
  
Jim pulled away. “I don’t want you to drink anymore,” he said. “Ever.”  
  
Leonard rolled his eyes. “That’s a little unreasonable, don’t you think?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Well, I think it is. And I’m sorry, but I’m not going to promise you that. Listen, what happened when you were a child is awful. But I am not that person you grew up with, and you need to understand that.”  
  
Jim had crossed his arms over himself again and Leonard stepped away from him.  
  
“I don’t get why it’s such a big deal to you, Bones,” Jim said, a slightly accusing note coming into his voice. “It seems like it should be an easy choice to me.”  
  
Leonard’s eyebrows raised in surprise at that statement. “Choice?” he repeated. “Are you telling me that I have to choose between making that promise and  _you_? Do you realize how ridiculous that is?”  
  
Jim didn’t answer, and after a couple moments of silence, Leonard just shook his head.  
  
“I don’t think you mean that, and I think you need some perspective on this, Jim,” Leonard said. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed. Come with me.”  
  
“In a minute,” Jim replied. He kept his back to the door as he heard Leonard go in to the house. Jim stood out there for a little while longer, eyes on the inky blackness above. He felt sick and wrong. He hadn’t intended to issue an ultimatum, but that’s what had happened. And Bones’ response…  
  
He honestly didn’t know what to think of Bones’ response.  
  
He swallowed hard, his throat aching and his stomach felt sick with his discontent. Finally, feeling no better, but so tired, he let himself back in to the house, locked the door and set the alarm.  
  
And for this first time since they’d been together, slept on the couch, alone.


	8. Part 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim reaches out to his brother to help him deal with his feelings and fears regarding Leonard and his drinking, and later they spend some time together, and start to work things out.

The next morning Jo sat at the kitchen table, idly stirring her bowl of cereal. Still tired from being up so much later than she was used to, she yawned hugely, and Leonard found he had to lock his jaw to not follow suit. As late as it had been for Joanna, it was much later for him.  
  
“Daddy, where’s Oide?” Jo asked, rubbing her eyes.  
  
Leonard checked a sigh.  _Good question._  
  
“He had an early meeting today, and had to leave a little while before you got up,” Leonard said, and Jo nodded, accepting that explanation easily. Leonard felt bad lying to her – he generally tried to stick to a policy of gentle honesty – but the truth was he was worried sick over why Jim had left so early, especially considering he’d never joined Leonard last night. This morning was difficult enough, with Jo as tired as she was, and he didn’t want her to worry over something that Leonard didn’t even have a handle on himself.  
  
With some prodding, Jo finished her cereal and then left the table to finish getting ready for the day. As soon as she was gone and Leonard heard the water running as she brushed her teeth, he took out his cellphone and tried calling Jim for the second time this morning.  
  
“Damnit,” he muttered when it went to voicemail again. He hesitated after the beep, but then ended up hanging up without saying a word. He just didn’t know what to say. After he’d left Jim in the garden, he’d gone to their room and got himself ready for bed. When Jim still hadn’t joined him, he went ahead and lay down, deciding to give Jim the room he’d asked for.  
  
In retrospect, maybe that had been a mistake. When Jim didn’t come to bed, maybe he should’ve gone back out there, even if it had meant being up all night. But he’d been tired and annoyed, and one of them had already said something he might regret. At the time, separating and giving each of them some time to reflect had seemed like a good idea. But what if Jim had seen that attempt at giving them time to cool off as Leonard turning his back on him?  
  
Anyway, he hadn’t slept well, waking periodically because he just wasn’t used to sleeping alone. It felt wrong. Especially when he knew Jim was just down the hall. Eventually, he’d gotten up to check on him with the intention of talking if he was awake, but Jim had been sound asleep, curled up on the couch in the t-shirt and boxers he’d changed into earlier in the evening. Leonard had stood there for a moment, looking down at him. After a minute, he gently ran his hand over Jim’s head down to his shoulder. Jim had stirred, but not woken, and in the end Leonard decided to just let him sleep. He’d pulled the throw blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over him, watching as he sighed and uncurled slightly.  
  
Leonard’s heart ached with how much he loved Jim, and how hurt he felt both by Jim’s apparent inability to see him for  _him_ , and not some shadow of Frank, and by the rather cold and matter-of-fact way Jim had tossed out that ultimatum, as if it’d be easy for him to walk away. Leonard didn’t think he’d really meant it, but it hurt, nonetheless.  
  
And now, now Jim wasn’t answering his damn phone. He sighed in annoyance and ended the call without leaving a message again. He stared at the phone in his hand for a second, willing it to ring, then gave up and stuck it in his pocket. He had to get Jo to school. Then he would try to figure out what to do. He dumped the rest of his coffee in the sink and went to check on Jo.  
  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Jim glanced at his cellphone as it vibrated on the table. It was Bones. Again. And again he let it go to voicemail. He wasn’t ready to talk to him. Not yet. He had no idea what to say.  
  
“Can I get you another coffee sir? Or would you care to see the menu again?”  
  
He looked up at the server who was looking at him with a carefully neutral expression. A carefully neutral expression designed to hide the disdain that was just below the surface. Not that he was surprised. Jim knew he certainly didn’t look his best. Tired, unshaven, wearing the first pair of jeans he could grab out of their bedroom, the t-shirt he’d slept in last night, and a blue hoodie he kept in his car, he wasn’t exactly dressed for breakfast in a fancy hotel. Figuring he should order some food, he accepted the menu and nodded distractedly when the server assured him he’d be back momentarily to take his order.  
  
Despite the fact that he certainly wasn’t dressed appropriately, he’d been here for the last half hour – sitting in the only restaurant open before 7 am for breakfast in the Fairmont San Francisco, an expensive, popular 5-star hotel. The hotel Sam worked at as Events Manager. He wasn’t there yet, and Jim was just killing time with a $6.00 cup of coffee.  
  
Having slipped out of the house minutes before Leonard and Jo would be waking, he’d driven around aimlessly for a while, trying to wrap his head around the argument they’d had last night. Eventually, he made the decision to come here. He needed to talk to someone who would understand, and the only people who could truly understand were those who’d lived it, too. Chris Pike, as much as Jim respected him and had leaned on him in the past, couldn’t help him with this. He couldn’t understand.  
  
Decision made, Jim called out sick from work and asked his assistant to reschedule the few appointments he had today. Then, he called Ryan’s school and asked to be transferred to the Media Center. He waited, listening to the general hold message about the school and negotiated a u-turn at the next light to head towards Sam’s hotel.  
  
 _“Media Center,”_  a pleasant voice came over the line.  _”Can I help you?”_  
  
“Anna?” Jim said. He stopped at a light and activated the hands-free device.  
  
 _“Excuse me?”_  she said.  _”Who is this, please?”_  
  
“I’m sorry…I don’t remember her last name. Is Anna, the Media Center director available?”  
  
 _“This is Anna – Carlisle, by the way. Can I help you? _”__ she asked again.  
  
Jim noted her last name. “Hi Anna, sorry about that. This is Jim Kirk. I normally wouldn’t call like this, but I was hoping you could help me out with something with Ryan.”  
  
 _ _ _“Oh, hello Jim. I didn’t recognize your voice. What can I do to help you?”_  __Anna asked.  
  
“Something’s come up, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to get there to see Ryan today, but I’m worried about him. Could you check on him in his first period class, and if he’s not there, or if he has any additional bruises on him, alert his Guidance Counselor and give me a call?” There was a silence, and Jim continued. “I’m sorry to ask, and I wouldn’t usually, but I know that you’ve seen him with that bruise on his face, and he likes you…”  
  
 _ _ _“No, it’s not a problem, Jim,”___ Anna said quietly. _ _ _“That poor boy. It just breaks my heart to think that he and his sister aren’t getting the love and care that they deserve. I just don’t know how people can be so heartless towards children. I can’t wait until Rob and I can start taking children into our home. If I could, I’d take he and his sister right now.”___  
  
That got Jim’s attention. “Thank you, Anna. I really appreciate it. Let me give you my cell phone number.” He recited the number, and then asked, “What did you mean when you said ‘taking children into your home’?”  
  
 _ _ _“Oh…I thought I told you. We’re working on becoming foster parents. It’s just a long process,”_  __she said. _ __“I think we have one more home visit and the safety visit to go.”__  
  
That_ was interesting, Jim thought. Out loud he said, “Well, when it’s done I have no doubt that you and Rob are going to be awesome foster parents. The kids you help will be lucky to have you. Listen, I have to run, but thanks again for your help today. No need to call if he’s there and seems fine, so please don’t be offended when I say I hope I don’t hear back from you.”  
  
 _ _ _“No problem Jim. I hope I have no reason to call. Have a good day today.”___  
  
He smiled slightly. She was so sweet. “Thanks, Anna. You too.”  
  
They said their good-byes and minutes later Jim pulled in to the main driveway. There was no self-parking at the Fairmont, so he relinquished his car to a valet. Knowing he had at least an hour before Sam got in, he’d found the restaurant and parked himself there, brooding over his coffee and ignoring calls from Bones, and trying to figure out how to make Bones understand.  
  
The server came back with his simple breakfast of eggs, toast and juice. At first, Jim thought he’d be hungry, but now, with the plate in front of him, he realized he was too upset and out of sorts to eat. So much felt so wrong right now. He was angry and sad and disappointed and scared. He was frustrated with Bones and himself. He should never have said what he did about choosing. But Bones shouldn’t have been so careless with his concerns, either. He should understand where Jim was coming from. And if he couldn’t understand, he should just accept it as a part of being with him. Jim didn’t understand why Bones didn’t see why his behavior over the last couple of weeks had been so disconcerting, and why it was so upsetting to him.  
  
And, underneath all of that, what scared Jim the most – terrified him actually – was the simple truth he’d spoken to Bones last night: he would not go through as an adult what he did as a child. If it came down to it, he was walking. And Jo…well…he hadn’t actually figured Jo into everything. He loved her like she was his own daughter, but he didn’t have any legal claim to her. He honestly didn’t know what he would do about Jo if he had to leave. His heart hurt at the thought of it.  _But God willing, I’ll never find out_.  
  
That unsettling line of thought making his stomach clench, he pushed his uneaten breakfast away, and took out enough money to settle the bill the server had left on his table. It was finally a little after 8:30. Sam should be there by now. In the lobby, he found a cluster of plush chairs in an out of the way area and sat. Using his cell, he called Sam’s work number – the direct line to his desk and he answered on the third ring.  
  
 _“Hey, Jim,”_  Sam said.  _“What’s up?”_  
  
“I need to talk to you,” Jim said, and suddenly he had to swallow hard and take a deep breath to keep himself in check. But it wasn’t enough to fool his brother. “Now. In person.”  
  
 _“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Are Leonard and Jo okay?”_ Sam asked, worry heavy in his voice. Why the hell was Jim calling him like this first thing in the morning?  
  
Jim shook his head, wondering how to answer that. He most definitely wasn’t ok. “Everyone is fine…but I…Bones and I are having a problem, and I – I just don’t know who else to talk to. Please Sam.”  
  
 _“Yeah…yeah, Jim. Of course. Where are you?”_  Sam replied without hesitation. He switched to his email and started composing a quick message to his assistant to have her reschedule his meetings for today. His brother never did this. Something was very wrong.  
  
“In the lobby.” Jim said, hunching in on himself a little.  
  
 _ _ _“In the lobby…of my hotel?”_  __Sam checked.  
  
Jim licked his lips. “Yeah,” he replied. “I…I canceled my day, so I can wait for you if…”  
  
 _ _ _“No…no, you don’t have to wait. I’ll come down for you and then we’ll find someplace private to talk. Just wait for me by the Registration Desk. I’ll be right there.”___  
  
“Okay….and Sam? Thanks.”  
  
 _ _ _“No problem, Jim.”___  
  
Jim hung up and stood. He glanced around to get his bearings and then headed for the Registration Desk. In his pocket, the phone buzzed, indicating a message. He didn’t have to take it out to guess who it was. Sighing, Jim reluctantly opened the simple, two-word message.  
  
 _ _ _Jim, please.___  
  
He couldn’t ignore that. No matter what else was going on, he couldn’t ignore that. He typed out a quick message in response.  
  
 _ _ _I’m ok. I just need to sort things out._  __He hesitated, then decided that he couldn’t let Bones go through a whole day of being worried about him. _ __I’ll be home by the regular time. Let’s talk tonight.___  
  
He hit send, and his phone buzzed with another message almost right away.  
  
 _ _ _Okay. I love you.___  
  
Jim’s heart swelled as he read that simple response. He never really doubted that Leonard loved him, but after arguing and throwing out that ultimatum, and making him go to bed alone, seeing the words was almost as good as hearing them in person.  
  
 _ _ _I love you, too.___  
  
“Jim.”  
  
He turned, looking for his brother. Sam was hurrying towards him, wearing a full suit and his Fairmont name badge, and he looked extremely worried.  
  
“Hey Sam. Wow…you clean up well,” Jim said.  
  
Sam smiled slightly and pulled his younger brother into a hug that Jim fiercely returned. “And you look like crap.”  
  
“I know…I’m sorry. I didn’t plan…”  
  
“No, no…don’t worry about it,” Sam said quickly. “I was only kidding. One second.” He went up to one of the women at the desk and she handed him a cardkey. Returning to Jim, he put an arm around his brother and led him away from the Registration Desk. He’d blocked out one of the rooms that had a little sitting area, figuring it would be a good, private place for them to go.  
  
They took one of the elevators to the correct floor silently, and Sam took the few seconds to really run a critical eye over Jim. Aside from looking a little unkempt – he needed a shave and he obviously hadn’t brushed his hair this morning – he just looked tired…and sad. And that was really worrisome. Jim was one of the most vibrant, happy people he’d ever know. Whatever it was that had caused Jim to seek him out, it was serious.  
  
Arriving at the right floor, he led Jim down the hallway to the room he’d claimed for today, and used the cardkey to let them in. Jim didn’t even register the nicely appointed room before sinking into one of the chairs at the little table. He propped his head up in his hands, and let out a long sigh.  
  
“Do you want some coffee?” Sam asked, gesturing to the pot in the corner. Jim just shook his head, so he pulled a couple of waters out of the mini-fridge instead. He put one in front of Jim who mumbled a thank you, and sat down in the other chair. He stayed quiet, waiting. He’d learned over the years that letting Jim get it out himself was usually the best way to go.  
  
“I love him, Sam,” Jim said quietly. “Not like I’ve ever loved anyone before.”  
  
Sam nodded. “I know you do.”  
  
“And he loves me to. I know he does. But sometimes….sometimes that’s just not enough.”  
  
“When would it not be enough, Jim?” Sam asked.  
  
“When there’s an addiction involved,” Jim replied, his voice cracking. “We’ve seen what happens in that case. And it never matters how much you love someone.”  
  
Sam’s heart dropped a little, and he eyed his brother. “Are you telling me that Leonard is addicted to something?” he asked. “Is he on drugs?”  
  
“No, no…nothing like that,” Jim said quickly, with a shake of his head. “He’s just…he’s been drinking more than usual lately, and it…I don’t know. It just seems so  _easy_  for him, I’m afraid it’s been going on longer than I’ve realized. He had to leave his car at the hospital one night, and take a cab home.”  
  
 _Oh, shit_. Sam knew, without a doubt, that if there was ever going to be a deal-breaker for Jim it would be this. Almost no matter what. It’d been too hard, too damaging the first time around. He’d never let it happen to him again. He’d never watch someone go through it again.  
  
“Well…you guys hardly drink at all,” Sam said, thinking back to the numerous times they’ve had lunch or dinner together. Both Jim and Leonard never had more than a single beer, and usually opted for something else entirely. Leonard was partial to iced tea most of the time. “What’s your definition of ‘more than usual’?”  
  
Jim looked at him for a second before shrugging. “It started a couple of weeks ago. He had a glass of bourbon with dinner…then he stayed late after work and drank enough with his research partner that he decided to leave his car. And then…at a dinner party last night…he had a martini and a couple of glasses of wine, even though I asked him to switch to water.”  
  
Sam nodded, twisting the cap off his water. He was getting a pretty clear picture of what was going on, and why Jim was so upset. “That’s really not that much, Jim,” he said carefully. “Aurelan has a glass of wine almost every night – well, when she’s not pregnant. And I’ve definitely had more than I should’ve a couple of times. Usually on our anniversary trips. I like to take advantage of the fact that you two usually have the girls.”  
  
“That’s not the same, Sam,” Jim said, meeting his eyes. “He knows how I feel about it. He knows I don’t like it and that I don’t…” he cut himself off, realizing what he almost said.  
  
“Trust him,” Sam finished. “Was that what you were going to say?”  
  
“No! Well…yes. But that’s not what I mean. It’s not that I don’ttrust  _him_. I do trust Bones. Completely. I don’t trust…drinking. I don’t trust what alcohol can do to a person. Does that make sense? I know Bones wouldn’t do something to hurt me on purpose…but I don’t trust the effect alcohol has. And how do I know that what I’ve seen is all there is? What if he’s drinking more than I think?”  
  
Sam nodded thoughtfully. He could understand those fears. The striking difference between sober Frank and drunk Frank was part of what hurt so much. And Frank had hidden the depth of his alcohol abuse for a long time. “But Jim…it’s been _five years_. Leonard has always said he didn’t care if he had any alcohol or not. Has he done anything else to make you think he’s hiding a more serious problem from you?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Jim said sullenly.  
  
“Well, think,” Sam replied a touch impatiently. “You know what living with Frank was like. The way he’d forget to pick us up from school, or be impossible to wake up, or…or his smell. That sour smell. Or do or say something and then completely deny it…not remembering he’d done or said it at all. Does he not let Joanna finish his “orange juice”, or skip coffee and only have “orange juice”? Did he get drunk at the dinner party? Anything like that?”  
  
Jim closed his eyes, thinking. He ran through their mornings. Bones almost always had coffee and orange juice. He never stopped Jo or himself, for that matter, from taking a sip of it from his cup. He balanced a complicated schedule seamlessly between the hospital, the university and the demands of home. He never forgot when he was supposed to pick Jo up…never had to send an email to check who was going to get her after an extracurricular activity. Even Jim had to do that once and a while.  
  
“No,” Jim said after a few moments. “He’s not done anything like that. And…when he did stay late at the hospital, he told me about it. He didn’t try to hide what had happened, or lie about why he was so late and why he didn’t have his car.”  
  
“Okay…well…I gotta be honest with you, kid. It doesn’t sound like Leonard is the one with the problem here. It doesn’t sound like he’s done anything to make you believe he has a problem.”  
  
Jim remained quiet, but when looked at objectively, he agreed with Sam.  
  
“So…what’s really going on in that head of yours?” Sam asked quietly.  
  
Jim stood and walked to a window, crossing his arms over himself. “He said he wouldn’t choose,” Jim said. “I told him I didn’t want him to drink any more, and he said that was ridiculous. And then I implied he’d have to choose…me or drinking…and he wouldn’t.”  
  
Sam checked a sigh. Jim  _was_  ridiculous. But at least now he had a more true idea of what was wrong. It wasn’t just – or even necessarily – the drinking. It was Leonard’s reaction to Jim’s feelings and request about the drinking.  
  
“Jim…I have a feeling that if you really pushed it, Leonard would choose you. It’s obvious how much he loves you. But…can you maybe try to see it from his side of things? You’re basically telling him he’s just a Frank waiting to happen. Can you imagine how hurtful that must be to him?”  
  
Jim turned, his hands clenched in frustration. “But why can’t he just accept that’s part of being with me? Why should I have to always be worried about what might happen?”  
  
“Well, that’s kinda the point, isn’t it? Shouldn’t part of being with him include being able to finally put that particular worry down?”  
  
And for a moment – it was clear. Leonard had to put a lot of what he’d been holding on to down in order to be with Jim. And now he was being challenged to do the same thing. Leonard had nothing but the trust he felt with Jim to help him finally let go of parts of his past that had hung so heavily on him for so long. Why should it be any different for Jim?  
  
He was not that bastard Michael.  
  
And Leonard was not Frank.  
  
Abruptly, the anger and frustration he’d been feeling left him, and he sat back down at the table, now feeling only tired.  
  
“Bones isn’t Frank,” Jim said softly.  
  
“No, he’s not,” Sam agreed. Pressing his lips together, he reached out and grasped his brother’s arm. “Neither am I. Neither are you.”  
  
Jim nodded and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to do, Sam,” he admitted. “I don’t know if I  _can_  get over it. And what if I screwed things up with Bones?”  
  
He couldn’t help but remember how cold he’d been to Bones on the car drive home, and then later when they were talking in the garden. And then of course, drawing that line by not responding to Bones even when he asked Jim to put it aside and come to bed. He’d maybe done the most hurtful thing by choosing to sleep on the couch. For the first time since they’d moved in together, they’d slept under the same roof, but in separate rooms.  
  
“I don’t know what to do,” Jim said quietly. “Bones called me so many times this morning, and I didn’t answer.”  
  
“Jim…”  
  
“I sent him a text to let him know I was okay,” Jim said quickly, knowing what Sam was going to say. “But I just wasn’t ready to talk to him this morning.”  
  
“Well, obviously you guys need to talk,” Sam said. “But you shouldn’t be afraid of that. An argument isn’t the end of a relationship. Saying something you regret isn’t the end of a relationship. You two have been through so much together…this is just a bump in the road that you can work out. Just…be honest, and be open.”  
  
“Honest and open,” Jim repeated. “That simple, huh?”  
  
“No, not really simple at all. Especially when you’re dealing with hard stuff. And Jim…this has always been hard for you. But honest and open has always worked for me and Aurelan.”  
  
“It’s always worked for us, too, in the past,” he said, thinking back to the beginning of their relationship when Leonard struggled to let Jim in on what he’d experienced, and how everything was different – steadily better – afterwards.  
  
Jim sighed, rubbing his eyes, and Sam reached out to squeeze his arm again.  
  
“You look exhausted. I’ve got this room blocked today…why don’t you stay here for a little while and use it. Take a nap, take a shower, get something to eat.”  
  
“Oh, Sam….I couldn’t…”  
  
“Yes, you can. I can comp a certain number of rooms every quarter. Today is one of them.” He stood, and warmly clasped Jim’s shoulder. “If you want anything, order it from room service, and charge it to the room.”  
  
Jim stood and they embraced. “Everything is gonna be okay, kid,” Sam assured him.  
  
“Thanks, Sam,” Jim said. “Thanks for listening to me.”  
  
“Any time, Jim. I’m here for you any time.”  
  
Sam left him and Jim promised to call and let him know when he headed out. He hadn’t been expecting to be able to stay, but he was extremely grateful to be able to have a few hours to himself. Fortunately, Anna never called, so the situation with Ryan could hold for a day. He had everyone at his school on their toes about that boy, anyway. If there was anything he should know about, someone from the school would reach out to him.  
  
Jim eyed the bed, very tempted. He was exhausted. He’d lain awake a long time on that couch last night. He’d slept for a while, and then woken again – covered by a blanket that he hadn’t done himself. Jim hadn’t been able to fall back asleep after that, waiting until it was just barely dawn to get up, throw on some clothes and slip out of the apartment.  
  
Eventually, the pull of the bed won, and he stripped down to his boxers. He was careful to set the alarm clock and he lay down to nap.  
  
 _ _\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------__  
  
“Pack a bag, Darlin’,” Leonard said, sticking his head in Jo’s room.  
  
“Where am I going, Daddy?” she asked, turning in her desk chair to look at him.  
  
“You’re going to sleep over Janie’s,” Leonard replied. “Aurelan will be here to pick you up in about half an hour.”  
  
“Really? On a school night?” Jo asked, getting up from her desk and pulling out the overnight bag she typically used.  
  
It was a minute before Leonard answered, coming back in to her room with a load of laundry as nicely folded clothes. He placed them on her dresser so he could put them away.  
  
“Really,” he confirmed. “Aurelan is going to bring you to school tomorrow morning.”  
  
“How come?” Jo asked, sitting back down on her desk chair and spinning herself around. “And where’s Oide?”  
  
Leonard sighed and sat on the edge of Jo’s bed. He pulled open her overnight bag and started adding clothes to it.  
  
“Jim and I need some time alone to talk about some things,” Leonard said. “And I thought it would be a special treat for you to go to Janie’s tonight instead of hanging around here.”  
  
Jo stopped twirling her chair around and focused on her father. “What kinds of things do you need to talk about?” she asked. “Is everything okay?”  
  
Leonard smiled comfortingly, and reached out to catch one of her little hands. He tugged her towards him and she left the chair to cuddle in her father’s arms. She’d always been a sensitive little girl, and that hadn’t changed as she got older.  
  
“Everything is fine,” Leonard said sincerely. “There’s just some stuff we need to work out to make sure everyone stays happy together. Jim and I need to talk, and we just need some privacy, that’s all. Okay?”  
  
“Okay,” Joanna replied. “So Aurelan’s going to drop me off at school tomorrow?”  
  
“Yes, she is.”  
  
“And is she going to pick me up too?”  
  
“No, probably not, Darlin’. Tomorrow’s Wednesday…Jim will pick you up like usual.”  
  
“Okay, good.”  
  
“You want to finish packing?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jo replied, sliding off her father’s lap. Leonard stood and continued to put her clothes away in the dresser.  
  
“Don’t forget to pack your toothbush,” Leonard said. He tugged gently on her ponytail and she giggled.  
  
A few minutes later Aurelan was knocking at their front door. Leonard let her in with a grateful smile.  
  
“Hi Aurelan, come on in.”  
  
“Hey Leo,” she replied. They hugged and she kissed him on the cheek. “Is everything okay?”  
  
Unsurprised at her intuition, he sighed and invited her to come all the way in to the apartment. Jo was still a few minutes away from being ready.  
  
“Can I get you anything?” Leonard asked.  
  
“Coffee, if you have any made,” Aurelan replied, taking a seat at the kitchen table.  
  
Leonard smiled. “Always.”  
  
He made a cup for both of them and joined her at the table. He cupped the hot mug in his hands, trying to decide how to answer her original question.  
  
“Everything is…well, it’s actually a little complicated right now,” Leonard said. He pursed his lips, hesitating. He wasn’t one to air his dirty laundry. But this was a little different. This was a family issue. He wondered if the Kirks’ childhood affected Sam as much as it had Jim. In the end, though, he decided to keep his mouth shut. “I think everything will be fine. We just really need the privacy and time to talk. So, thank you for letting Jo stay with you tonight.”  
  
Aurelan nodded, understanding Leonard’s reluctance to talk to her. “I love Jim,” she said. “He’s such a sweet soul. They went through a lot, when they were children. And Jim…I think Jim still struggles with some of it. I’ve heard he and Sam fight on occasion. They can say some pretty hurtful things, though they never mean it.”  
  
Leonard reached out and squeezed Aurelan’s hand. “I know. I get it. And it’s not like I didn’t come to this relationship with my own shit ton of issues. Excuse my language,” he added, automatically. “I’m not gonna lie…we are in a bit of a rough patch right now. But I know we’ll work it out.”  
  
“Good,” Aurelan said. “And if Sam or I can do anything to help, you let us know.”  
  
“You already are.”  
  
Leonard went to fetch Jo, who he found spending some time with Jack.  
  
“You ready Jo?” he asked.  
  
“Yup, all set!”  
  
Jo wore her backpack and Leonard carried her overnight bag. She greeted Aurelan with an enthusiastic hug.  
  
“Bye Darlin’. You be good,” Leonard said, picking her up in a hug and planting a kiss on her cheek.  
  
“Bye Daddy. I’m always good,” she replied, hugging him just as tightly.  
  
Leonard stood at the door, watching as they pulled out. He waved one more time, then turned back in to the apartment, leaning against the door for a moment. Jim said he’d be home at the regular time, which should be in less than an hour, and Leonard had no idea what to do with himself.  
  
After he finally got a reply from Jim via text, he’d done as he was asked, and didn’t reach out to him for the rest of the day. It was one of the hardest, longest days of his life. All he wanted to do was sit down with him and talk. Now that they both had the benefit of some time and distance, they needed to talk. Leonard was still mildly hurt by some of the things Jim said, and what he obviously believed….and by what he’d done, sleeping on the couch like that. But, he was more concerned with making sure Jim knew Leonard would do anything for him. He might think the demand to not have any alcohol ever again was ridiculous, but if it was what Jim needed from him, he’d do it. Of course.  
  
Finally he decided to just go about his evening as if everything was normal. He changed out of his work clothes into comfortable sweats and a t-shirt, then set to making dinner. He didn’t know if either of them was going to feel like eating, but it was something to do to pass the time.  
  
A few minutes later, as Leonard was working in the kitchen, Jim pulled up to their building and parked beside Leonard’s car. He turned his car off and sat there for a few minutes, trying to get up the nerve to go inside. He was nervous. He was afraid Bones was going to be angry with him and he was afraid they were going to fight. Sam had tried to assure him that a fight didn’t mean that anything was over. And Jim knew that. He did. But he wasn’t used to this. Over the last five years their disagreements had always been so minor…mild annoyances that they moved right past with a roll of the eyes or grumbled insult.  
  
But this…this was bigger than that. For Jim, anyway. Maybe not for Bones. And that’s part of what made it so hard. Taking a breath, keeping everything he and Sam had talked about earlier close to his heart and at the forefront of his mind, Jim exited the car.  
  
Leonard was just about ready to put the chicken thighs in the oven when he heard the front door open. Hurriedly covering the pan with aluminum wrap, he exited the kitchen and stopped just outside the door. Jim was taking his shoes off in the entryway.  
  
“Jim…hi,” Leonard said, a little awkwardly.  
  
Jim looked up as he pulled off his hoodie. “Hi Bones. Sorry for earlier…for leaving this morning.”  
  
Leonard shook his head. “That’s ok. I’m glad you’re here.”  
  
Jim smiled slightly. “Me too.” He came further into the house, looking around for telltale signs that Jo was home. No backpack, no sneakers… “Where’s Jo?”  
  
“I called Aurelan and asked if they would let her sleep over tonight, and if Aurelan could bring her to school tomorrow. I, uh, figured we could use some privacy.”  
  
Jim nodded. “Good idea.”  
  
“Jim…”  
  
“Bones…”  
  
They spoke at the same time, and then stopped together, too.  
  
Leonard shook his head with a self-deprecating chuckle. “Jim…we had a disagreement. We still need to talk about it, but let’s not be awkward with each other. Nothing important has changed. We love each other. Whatever else there is that we have to deal with, it’s not bigger than that. Okay?”  
  
Jim nodded, and looked up and Leonard could see the relief in his eyes. “Yeah,” he said, nodding. “That’s good. So…should we talk?”  
  
“I made dinner, mostly because I didn’t know what to do with myself. Are you hungry?”  
  
Jim shook his head. “Not really.”  
  
“Yeah, me either. Let me just put the chicken in the fridge, and then let’s just sit down. Do you want anything?”  
  
“No, thanks. I’m fine,” Jim replied.  
  
Once they were seated on the couch together, Leonard reached for Jim’s hand, giving him a squeeze. “First, I want to say I’m sorry. I never meant to make you feel like I don’t care about your concerns, and I’m afraid that’s exactly what I did. I – I feel like when I went to bed you might’ve felt like I was walking away from you.” He paused, looking away for a second. “Did you? Did I make you feel that way?”  
  
Jim kept his eyes down, but shook his head. “No,” he said quietly. “I never felt like you were abandoning me.”  
  
“Then what, Jim? Please…tell me anything.”  
  
This was it. This was his chance to put it all out there and tell Bones why what he’d done had hurt him so much. But it was a lot harder than he’d thought it would be, and when he opened his mouth, he found he couldn’t get the words out.  
  
Leonard’s heart went out to Jim to see him struggle with something that should’ve been over and done with. But it wasn’t, and it would probably always be a part of Jim…and Leonard was singularly qualified to understand that.  
  
“Hey,” Leonard said softly. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”  
  
Jim shifted, turning, so he faced Bones more completely, though he kept his eyes on his clasped hands where Bones gently held him.  
  
“Frank’s alcoholism started as just a drink here or there,” Jim said quietly. “At first, it wasn’t a problem. That seemed to happen gradually…I can’t remember a specific day or thing that happened when everything was just all of a sudden bad. But I do remember the…the first time he hit me.” He paused glancing up and meeting Bones’ eyes, shining so clearly with sympathy and love. “It’d been a normal day, he’d been drinking but nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and Sam and I were playing and I guess we were too loud, and he hit me. It was just that fast, Bones. Everything was fine one second and the next I was on the ground with my ears ringing and a bloody lip.”  
  
Leonard was almost speechless, but his hand closed tightly over Jim’s. “Oh…Jim…I-I would  _never_  hurt you like that.”  
  
“Frank used to say the same thing…and that’s the point Bones,” Jim said. “It’s not you I don’t trust. I don’t trust what alcohol can do to a person. I don’t trust what it can make a person become. And…and when you said what I wanted was ridiculous…that hurt. Frank used to say the same thing. That we were ridiculous. That he’d never do the things we were saying he’d done. He blew us off. He didn’t care. And you did the same thing. He never cared enough about us to stop. And…” Jim stopped, shaking his head as tears welled unbidden in his eyes. He bowed his head and Leonard gently ran his fingers through the blonde hair, hurting for Jim so much. He let out a huge sigh and wiped his eyes. “And to hear you say the same thing just…I know you’re not Frank. I know that. But…”  
  
Jim trailed off, and Leonard sat quietly for a few seconds, thinking about everything he’d just revealed. And Leonard finally understood a little better why Jim had reacted the way he did.  
  
Leonard moved closer to Jim and wrapped his arms around him. Jim leaned forward, letting his head rest on Bones’ shoulder as his arms went around his waist.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” Leonard murmured into his hair. “I’m sorry for not paying more attention to what you were trying to tell me. He stroked down Jim’s back, closing his eyes for a moment. “It hurt me,” he admitted, “to realize you didn’t trust me any more than Frank…that you thought I wasn’t any better than him. But I get it now.”  
  
Jim raised his head and pulled back slightly, wiping at his eyes again. He hated dredging all this stuff up. But, he also realized it was time. Beyond time, actually. He had to deal with it, or risk allowing his past to drive a wedge between him and the most important person in his life. And that was not something he would allow. What happened with Frank was over. He was dead and gone. He shouldn’t still have this much sway over him.  
  
“I’m sorry Bones,” Jim said, his voice hoarse. “I hate that I made you feel that way. I just…I just haven’t been able to let it go. Sam says that’s the point…that I should be able to put that worry down because I’m with you. But I think it’s because I love you so much – I’m so afraid of losing you – that I kind of… panicked.”  
  
“You spent some time talking to Sam today?” Leonard asked.  
  
Jim flushed, eyes focused on his hands. “Uh, yeah. I spent a few hours at his hotel. I’ve never really talked to anyone but Sam about this because he was there…he lived it too. Sorry.”  
  
Leonard shook his head. “You don’t have to be sorry about that,” he said. “I’m glad you have Sam to talk to.” They sat together quietly for a couple of minutes. “Jim, can you look at me?”  
  
He waited until Jim was able to meet his eyes, and Leonard reached to gently cup his face, running a thumb over his cheekbone.  
  
“I understand a little better now why you gave me that choice…you or alcohol. And you must know, Jim, that it wouldn’t even be a thought for me. You are one of the most important people in my life. You and Jo…I’d do anything for you. And if you need me to do this…well, I still think it’s unnecessary, but I would do it for you.”  
  
Jim let out a shaky sigh and reached for him. They hugged, holding each other tenderly.  
  
“I realize that it was kind of a stupid thing to say,” Jim admitted. “And I know that you don’t have a problem…but I – I wondered…” Jim trailed off, biting his lip uncertainly.  
  
“Ask me anything,” Leonard said, seeing his hesitation.  
  
“Part of the reason I was so freaked out is because of how often you seemed to be drinking lately, when before you hardly had anything at all. And I just…I need to know why.”  
  
Leonard sighed deeply and pulled back, wiping a hand over his face. “These last few weeks have just…really sucked, Jim. Having to work so late to complete reports that detailed how completely I’d failed, and for so long not knowing what that would mean for me professionally…if they’d want me to stay, if I was going to have to find a new place to work…and what would happen to us if I had to move out of state again. It was a small, but terrifying, possibility. But none of that is really why. It was just a coincidence of timing, for the most part.”  
  
“I don’t think I realized how…difficult…things have been for you,” Jim said softly. His eyes traveled over Leonard’s face, and now that he was looking, he could see signs of not enough sleep coupled with more than usual stress. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
  
Leonard shrugged. “I try to keep work and home separate. I didn’t want you to worry…you always have so much on your plate anyway…and you’ve been so involved with the issue with that kid…” he trailed off. “We’d just started talking about a house, and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it…I just…I guess I didn’t want you to worry.”  
  
“You were trying to protect me,” Jim said.  
  
“Yeah, I guess I was.”  
  
Jim chuckled and sat back. “We’re a mess.”  
  
Leonard smiled, but his eyes were serious. “I love you, Jim. I love you as much today as I did five years ago when everything was new. I would never do anything to hurt your, or jeopardize what we have, and…I know this is hard for you to trust and believe…I do not have a problem with alcohol and I will completely give it up for you, if you need me to.”  
  
Jim thought about that for a second, then ultimately shook his head. “That was a knee-jerk reaction,” Jim said. “But maybe we can talk about things beforehand…and maybe set some ground rules.”  
  
“Okay,” Leonard agreed. “Like what?”  
  
“Like…I’d feel better if we didn’t keep liquor here.”  
  
“No problem,” Leonard said. “What else?”  
  
“I’d wished that we’d talked about the dinner party before we got there,” Jim said, and Leonard nodded.  
  
“That makes sense. When we go out we’ll set limits beforehand.”  
  
Relieved that Bones seemed to understand where he was coming from and what he needed, Jim moved closer to him and sighed when Leonard put his arm around him. Jim pressed against his side, and took his other hand.  
  
“And Bones, I know you like to keep work and home separate, but I wish you would tell me more about what’s going on with you. If you’re having a hard time, I want to know it. You shouldn’t have to keep all of that inside. Okay?”  
  
“Okay, I’ll try. You might need to remind me sometimes, though, until I get used to it.”  
  
“I can do that,” Jim replied. Staring into Bones’ eyes, Jim moved closer to him, and Leonard met him and they kissed softly. Leonard gently held Jim around the back of his head, rubbing his thumb in slow circles under his ear. Their lips pressed together gently, again and again, slow and undemanding and sweet.  
  
And though they both new they had some work to do as a couple and individually, this felt like a good start.


	9. Part 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **This Part:** Leonard and Jim continue their conversation and reach some conclusions. Jo has a life first, and they might have found a house!

Leonard and Jim talked late into the night, and Jim found himself opening up about things that he’d never spoken to anyone but Sam about. He never believed anyone who didn’t go through it could ever really understand what living with Frank was like…how hard it was, how sad, or scary, or hurtful. And though, at first, divulging so much that he’d kept private for so long was hard for Jim, the fact that Leonard’s desire to know came from a place of love made it possible.  
  
And though Leonard didn’t have any personal experience with growing up with an alcoholic parent, he was an empathetic listener, and Jim found – to his surprise – that was enough. The more Jim revealed about some of the things he’d had to deal with in his childhood and teenage years, the more respect Leonard had for the man Jim had become, and the more he understood about where Jim’s fears came from.  
  
They ended up ordering dinner in, sharing cartons of Chinese food spread out on the coffee table in the family room. Jim asked for more details about what had been decided as far as Bones’ work was concerned, and they talked about the possibilities that lay in front of him now.  
  
It was a conversation long overdue, and having Bones so focused on him made him feel like he was the most important person in the world. It was exactly what they both needed.  
  
Eventually, they turned in. Though exhausted from not sleeping well the night before and the emotionally draining day, they didn’t fall asleep right away. Ensconced together under the blankets, they lay face to face, arms and legs over and around each other. Jim smiled slightly as he stared into Bones’ eyes, remembering when looking at him like this could make him blush. That seemed, strangely, like it was simultaneously yesterday and forever ago.  
  
Leonard smiled back at him and drew Jim to him, holding him tightly. He rolled to his back, taking Jim with him so that he was resting on Leonard’s strong chest. Jim squeezed his eyes closed, pressing his face into Leonard’s shoulder as he slipped a leg between Jim’s thighs. Still reeling a little from so much emotion over the last couple of days, Jim sighed softly against his skin.  
  
Closing his eyes, gently stroking down Jim’s bare back with one hand, the other cupping his head, Leonard let himself drift. Jim’s weight on him was comforting and comfortable, and though he was really too tired to do anything more than what they were already, he enjoyed the feel of Jim’s naked body pressed so intimately to his.  
  
Although Jim was laying quietly, he couldn’t get his mind to relax. All he could think about was the thing Bones had said, so casually, when they were talking. At the time, it’d come as a surprise, and something he immediately refused to consider now wouldn’t leave him alone.  
  
 _if I was going to have to find a new place to work…and what would happen to us if I had to move out of state again._  
  
“Bones…” Jim said into the quiet.  
  
“Mmm?”  
  
When Jim remained silent, Leonard gave his ear a gentle squeeze.  
  
“Tell me,” he said. “What are you thinking?”  
  
“You said…you might’ve had to move out of state again,” Jim whispered.  
  
“I don’t though,” Leonard said quickly. He raised his head to look down at Jim, but he was unable to see anything but the top of Jim’s head. He slid his hands down Jim’s body, and wrapped him in a hug. “I don’t. And it was only ever a distant possibility.”  
  
“Hm. Close enough that you thought about it. That you brought it up tonight,” Jim pointed out. Leonard remained silent, because as much as he didn’t want Jim to worry, he was right. The silence continued, and Jim knew it was because Bones couldn’t refute it.  
  
Jim shifted, moving himself over Bones so that he could kiss him. Jim looked down at Bones, eyes serious, and he ran his hand through the dark hair. Leonard smiled a little and Jim leaned down to kiss him again, then settled back down to his side, resting his head on Leonard’s shoulder. Leonard held Jim tightly, and Jim responded by sliding his hand across Bones’ torso and giving his midsection a squeeze.  
  
“I would’ve gone with you,” he murmured. “If it came to it….and….and if you wanted me to.”  
  
“Oh, Jim…” Leonard started, then he had to give himself a second before continuing. “Of course I would want you to. Of  _course_  I would. I mean, I would hate to do that to you…take you away from the career you’ve built for yourself and your family. And…if you couldn’t do it…if you couldn’t bring yourself to leave your family to come with us, I would find a way to make it work here. I’d find something else. Because I can’t imagine life without you, and I would never lose you over something like work…or something stupid like alcohol.”  
  
Surprised at the vehemence in Bones’ voice, and how emotional he became, Jim lay quietly absorbing everything…all the words and all their feelings…that were expressed in that little speech. After a moment, Jim squeezed Bones again.  
  
“We  _would_  make it work, somehow. Because without you and Jo…” Jim trailed off, shaking his head slightly. “I can’t imagine my life without you either.”  
  
He hesitated, then decided that he should be honest. They needed to be honest with each other.  
  
“I was…really scared, Bones,” Jim admitted. Even though he wasn’t looking at Bones, he felt himself flush with embarrassment.  
  
“I’m sorry…I should’ve realized how much it would bother you…”  
  
“No…not that. I was freaked out about the drinking, for sure, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”  
  
“No?” Leonard said, his brow furrowing. “What were you scared about?”  
  
Jim sighed, reluctant to admit what had been going through his head…part of what drove him to seek out his brother. But he owed it to both of them.  
  
“I was scared of what fighting like that might mean for us. I – I was scared that you’d be angry and fed up with me. I was afraid that I might have made this a really serious problem for us.”  
  
Leonard sighed and tightened his hold on Jim, a little surprised at that admission. “Darlin’ we weren’t – our relationship wasn’t ever in any trouble over anything you did or said. I was angry and hurt….so were you. But it was just a fight. They happen. It’ll probably happen again.”  
  
 _God, I hope not,_  Jim thought. Out loud he said, “It’s just not something I’ve had much experience with Bones. Any of it…loving someone so much  _or_  fighting with them…and having everything be okay.”  
  
Bones stroked up and down Jim’s arm thoughtfully. “I believe that our relationship is stronger than any disagreement we might have. Like I said earlier, that how much we love each other is bigger than whatever else might have happened. And, because of that, a fight isn’t anything more than that. We find a way to deal with whatever it is, forgive each other, and move on.” He paused, then, “I forget, sometimes, that you didn’t grow up seeing much of that kind of thing.”  
  
“You’re right, I didn’t. Not normal fights, anyways. Usually, if they fought, it was over Frank’s drinking. And if they did fight over normal things before everything went to hell, I don’t remember it.”  
  
“Well, I can promise you, Darlin’. There’s nothin’ that’s gonna chase me off so easily. I love you, and in the end that’s going to be what matters.”  
  
In the darkness, Jim smiled. “I love you, too. So much.” And Jim realized he was beginning to believe Bones – that what they had was  _bigger_  than – and that would always be what matters.

 

  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
Jim was sitting in his car in the parent pick-up loop, waiting for Jo, when his phone buzzed with a text from Aurelan.  
  
 _Hey guys. I’m not positive, but I think Jo may have gotten her first period last night. She didn’t say anything to me, but I found her washing bed sheets really early this morning. Just wanted to give you a head’s up. Don’t embarrass her._  
  
Still trying to absorb that information – that Jo…their little Jo…wasn’t so little anymore – another text came through, this one from their real estate agent, Estelle. It was direct, and absolutely thrilling.  
  
 _Leonard, Jim - Found one that hits all points in Belmont. Call me to see it today._  
  
“Holy shit,” Jim said to the empty car. With everything that’d been going on, this was so far on the back burner of his mind that he’d hardly given it a second thought in a while. He knew that Estelle was looking, and that their paperwork was being rubberstamped by whoever handled that stuff, but it never really occurred to him that something would be found so quickly – especially considering what Bones really wanted their home to be.  
  
Before he could call Bones, he had to move up in the pick-up loop, and he spotted Jo, her overnight bag in her hand and her backpack on her back, who’d spotted him, too.  
  
“Hey Oide!” Jo said as she opened the back door.  
  
“Hi Jo!” Jim replied. He twisted in his seat to face her, and she leaned forward to meet him, giving him a hug and kiss on his cheek.  
  
“I missed you. How was your meeting?” she asked, pulling the door closed.  
  
Puzzled, Jim tried to work out what she was talking about. “My meeting?”  
  
“Yeah, Daddy said you weren’t there yesterday morning because you had an early meeting,” she explained as she sat back in her seat and buckled herself in.  
  
“Oh...” So that was how Bones had covered for his quick ( _and cowardly_ , he thought) exit yesterday morning. “Yeah, it went fine. Hon, I gotta call your dad real quick, so I’m gonna park.” He met her eyes in the rearview mirror, trying to see if she was showing any signs that she was in any kind of…distress.  
  
“Sure,” she said, flashing him a smile and looking totally unconcerned. She pulled a book out of her bag and opened it to the bookmark. “I’ll just read.”  
  
“It’ll only take a second,” Jim said, pulling up again then turning to go into the regular parking lot. Putting the car in park, he listened to Bones’ phone ringing, and hoped that he’d pick up.  
  
 _”Jim, hi…I was just going to call you. Did you get Aurelan’s text?”_  
  
Glancing at Jo in the rearview mirror again, he answered simply. “Yup.”  
  
Leonard paused, then,  _”She’s already in the car, isn’t she? Does she seem okay?”_  
  
“Yes, and perfectly fine.”  
  
 _“Okay, good. I can’t believe my baby is grown up enough to get pregnant. We’re going to have to have another talk.”_  
  
“Oh, God, Bones. I don’t want to think of it like that!” Jim exclaimed.  
  
 _“Well, I don’t want to either, but that’s the reality.”_  
  
“Doctors,” Jim muttered, and Bones chuckled. “Did you see Estelle’s text?”  
  
 _“Yes, I did. What do you think, Jim? Still want to do this?”_  Leonard asked.  
  
They’d talked about this last night, too. Leonard was concerned that if Jim was still so uncertain about some things in their relationship, then maybe he wasn’t as sure as he thought he was when it came to those things that would be permanent fixtures, linking them together in legal and financial ways that they just weren't now.  
  
But Jim had considered it carefully. The only thing – the only doubt – he’d ever had about them was centered around something they’d addressed, came to a conclusion about, and even already acted upon. The first thing Bones had done when they woke this morning was dump the couple of opened bottles of liquor and one wine down the sink. The last two bottles of wine that weren’t opened he put in a box and gave to Jim, to do with as he chose – either give them away, or throw them away.  
  
“I don’t care,” Bones had said. “You said you didn’t want alcohol in the house, and I’m fine with that. Do whatever you want with it.”  
  
Jim had been deeply touched that Bones would take what they’d discussed so seriously. It spoke volumes to him about Bones’ commitment to their life together, and Jim knew then he had no reason to doubt him about this.  
  
Bones was not Frank. Bones couldn’t have been more different.  
  
“More than almost anything,” Jim replied, smiling.  
  
On the other end of the line, Leonard could hear Jim’s certainty and happiness, and it resonated with him so deeply.  
  
 _“Well, I can leave now. Bring Jo with you, and let’s go see the house!”_  he said excitedly.  
  
“Yeah? All right. I’ll call her for the address, and then text it to you.”  
  
 _“Sounds good – I’ll see you there.”_  
  
“Okay. Love you, Bones.”  
  
“Me, too, Darlin’.”  
  
They disconnected, and Jim opened his contacts and scrolled through until he found Estelle’s name.  
  
“You two are so mushy,” Jo said matter-of-factly, looking up from her book. Jim smiled to himself, amused by her characterization of them. “What’s up Oide? What were you talking about?”  
  
“How’d you like to go see a possible house for us this afternoon?” Jim asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror.  
  
“Yeah! Are we going now?” Jo asked excitedly.  
  
“As soon as I get the address,” Jim replied, happy that she was as excited as they were about this next step in their lives.  
  
The house was in Belmont, about 45 minutes south of San Francisco. 45 minutes was a lot longer a commute than either Jim or Leonard had now, but he had no doubt Bones would consider it worth it if everything else fell into place. The ride was a relatively easy one, pretty much a straight shot down the highway.  
  
Jim and Jo took in the neighborhood as he slowly navigated the twisty street up the side of a mountain. It was a really nice neighborhood, and as Jim pulled into the driveway, and took in the outside of the house, he immediately felt some of his high hopes deflate a little. It looked big. This was a beautiful 2-story house on a nice piece of land in a really nice neighborhood. He had no idea what this house cost, or what their price range was, but he was fairly certain it was more than they could afford.  
  
“Wow,” Jo said. “Look at how pretty this is, Oide!” Jo exclaimed as she peered at the house from the backseat.  
  
“Uh…yes, it’s very pretty here, Jo. Listen, sweetie, we’re just looking. I’m not sure we can afford this house. I have a feeling it’s out of our budget.”  
  
“I know we’re just looking, Oide…but, why would the real estate agent send you to see a house that’s not in your budget?”  
  
“Good question,” Jim muttered. “Well, we’re the first ones here…want to get out and take a look around?”  
  
“Um…do people live here?”  
  
“Doesn’t look like it. But we’ll just look at the outside until your dad and Estelle get here,” Jim said, turning the car off.  
  
Estelle was the next to arrive, and she waved to Jim and Jo as they walked along Hillside Road, enjoying the view.  
  
“Oide,” Jo said, slipping her hand into Jim’s. “What should I call her?”  
  
“I think it’d be okay if you called her by her first name,” Jim said, looking down at her. Jo shook her head no, uncomfortable with the idea of calling an adult, especially an older adult, she didn’t know by her first name. Jim gave her hand a squeeze as he tried to remember what Estelle’s last name was. “Well, I’ll introduce you, and give her the chance to tell you what she wants you to call her.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
Reaching the driveway, which curved down from the high street to the garage and large paved area that it opened up to, Jim greeted Estelle as she exited her car. She looked as prim and proper as ever – not a hair out of place or a wrinkle in her clothes to be seen.  
  
“And who is this young lady?” Estelle asked, turning an assessing gaze to Jo.  
  
“This is Joanna. Jo this is Ms….I’m sorry Estelle, I don’t remember your last name,” Jim said.  
  
Estelle looked at them over her glasses as she flipped through a file holder of papers. “It’s Gavin, but you can call me Estelle, dear.” She closed the folder and took off her glasses, letting them fall to rest against her chest on a colorful beaded chain.  
  
“And you’re Joanna? Leonard’s daughter?”  
  
“Yes ma’am,” Jo said. She hesitated for a moment, then held out her right hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”  
  
Smiling, Estelle shook her hand. “I like that. Manners. Not enough young people have manners nowadays. Nice to meet you too, Joanna. Ah…here’s your father now.”  
  
Everyone stepped out of the way to allow Leonard to turn onto the driveway and park.  
  
“Hi Daddy!” Jo said as he got out of the car. She went to him and wrapped her arms around him as soon as he stood, holding him tightly.  
  
“Hi Darlin’,” he said. He held her, the hug going on longer than usual after a regular day. Meeting Jim’s eyes over her, he quirked an eyebrow in question, and Jim gave a little shrug. “You okay?” He asked her quietly as she pulled away.  
  
“Yeah…just a little tired,” she said, not meeting his eyes.  
  
“Okay, well, this won’t take too long. Let’s go see a house,” he replied, taking her hand.  
  
He listened with half an ear as Estelle talked to Jim about the features of the house, his mind more on his daughter than the real estate. If Aurelan was right, today was an important day in her life. He’d been grateful to be able to have a frank, private conversation with Aurelan about this, and he knew that when her oldest had her first period, she was a little freaked out. It wasn’t that she didn’t know about it, what to expect, or what to do…but waking up to stained sheets was a little jarring. Aurelan had also taken Kim out to dinner – just the two of them – to celebrate this marker in her life.  
  
Talking to Aurelan had been immensely helpful. On her advice, he’d preemptively stocked Jo’s bathroom with some supplies, so that when the time came she’d have what she needed on hand, and not have to ask. He’d also put a plastic bag in her backpack with an extra pair of khaki shorts, underwear, and a couple of pads. He didn’t say anything about it, but he knew she’d found it because she’d moved it from the main compartment of her backpack to a smaller one.  
  
Now, though, Leonard wondered if he should ask Jo about it directly. On one hand, he didn’t want her to think he didn’t care. On the other, as Aurelan said, he certainly didn’t want to embarrass her. And though Jo had grown up being fairly open with him, the older she got the less she was. And he expected that. Didn’t mean he liked it.  
  
He refocused his attention on Estelle as she opened the front door. “Now,” she said. “You all just wander around, take a look at everything. No one is living here right now, so don’t worry about poking in closets or anything like that. The furniture will be cleared out in the next week or so. I don’t want to be hanging over your shoulder, so if you have any questions I’ll be in the kitchen.”  
  
Left to their own devices, they did as Estelle suggested, and were instantly charmed with the house. It was much bigger than their apartment, with a relatively open floor plan, big bedrooms, and windows that let in beautiful natural light throughout the house.  
  
“Bones,” Jim said quietly, taking his hand. “I love it.”  
  
“Me too,” he replied, giving his hand a squeeze.  
  
“Daddy, can we see the backyard?” Jo asked.  
  
“Sure, Darlin’. Go on ahead.”  
  
They watched as Jo let herself out of the house and take a look around the backyard.  
  
“Bones…there’s no way we can afford this, is there?” Jim asked. “I mean – not really. Not without making ourselves ‘house poor’. A house like this, with the land, in this neighborhood?”  
  
“I don’t know…maybe it’s in foreclosure or something. We were pretty specific when we asked to not be shown properties that were definitely out of our budget.”  
  
“Have you heard back about what we were approved for?”  
  
“No. Maybe Estelle knows something we don’t.”  
  
They joined Jo in the backyard. It was really nicely done with beautiful flora all around the perimeter. Jim could picture a lot of family gatherings in this space. No pool, but that wasn’t a dealbreaker at all. None of them swam very much anyway…usually only when they were at Sam’s.  
  
Jo came back inside, a smile on her face. “I like it here,” she said. “There’s room where I can try to grow some herbs and vegetables. And I like the front yard, and I like the room that would be my room, and I like that it has bookcases in the walls.”  
  
“Yeah, I like that feature too, Jo,” Leonard said. Throughout the house bookcases were built into the walls. It was a nice touch, and there were enough of them that they might not have to have the room that could be a third guest bedroom double as a “library”. Also, the master suite was large enough that both Leonard and Jim could have some space for their work.  
  
And, as far as Leonard was concerned, best of all was the fact that this house had a nice parcel of land. The neighbors were close on either side of them, for sure, but they had space.  
  
It was exactly what they wanted.  
  
“Jo, Jim and I are going to talk to Estelle about some things…you want to grab your backpack out of Jim’s car?”  
  
“Sure,” she said. “I’ll just sit outside and read for a while.”  
  
“Okay. Stay right here,” Jim said, handing her the keys.  
  
“I will,” Jo promised.  
  
She headed back outside, got her backpack out of Oide’s car, and went around to the back. She settled herself in one of the chairs of a patio set that’d been left and pulled out her book. It took her a couple of pages to really get back in to the story, because her mind was so focused on her wish for her dad and oide to get the house. She’d tried not to get too excited since Oide had warned her that it was probably too expensive, but…  
  
“Who’re you?”  
  
Jo started, the pictures in her mind abruptly falling away at the sound of another, completely unexpected voice. Swallowing, willing her heart to settle back down, she looked around for the source of the voice, and found a tanned, brown-haired boy sitting on one of the raised steps that bordered the courtyard.  
  
“I’ve been sitting here for, like, five minutes, and you didn’t even know,” he said.  
  
Already disconcerted, hearing that didn’t alleviate the situation for Jo. She glanced back towards the house, contemplated just leaving. But he’d interrupted her…not the other way around.  _Why should I have to leave – he should leave._  
  
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” she said. “It’s rude.”  
  
“I didn’t sneak,” the boy said indignantly. “You just weren’t paying attention.”  
  
Jo stayed quiet, looking back down at the book she held open on the little table. That was absolutely true. She’d been so engrossed in the story she hadn’t been paying attention to anything else.  
  
“What’re you reading?” he asked, when she seemed disinclined to answer his first question.  
  
“The Stars Are Ours,” Jo replied, lifting the book so he could see the cover.  
  
“Never heard of it,” he said, not even glancing at the cover. “Are your parents buying the house?”  
  
Jo shrugged. “My dad’s just looking at it. I don’t know. Maybe. What are you doing here?”  
  
The boy shrugged. “I live across the street, and I saw cars, and since no one has lived here for like, a month, I decided to come see what was going on. How old are you? You look like a kid.”  
  
Joanna bristled at that. “ _You’re_  a kid,” she pointed out.  
  
“Yeah, but I’m almost thirteen. A teenager isn’t just a kid, and I’m closer to being a teenager.”  
  
Jo was still a few months away from her twelfth birthday, but she didn’t volunteer that information. Looking back down at her book, she tried to think of a graceful way to end this conversation.  
  
“Um…well…I think I’m going to go in now,” she said, pulling her backpack into her lap.  
  
“You never told me your name,” he said.  
  
Joanna pursed her lips as she put away her book and zipped her backpack closed. “Joanna,” she eventually answered. “Most people call me Jo.”  
  
“I’m Tristan. Maybe I’ll see ya around.”  
  
“Maybe,” Jo said, keeping her eyes down. She pushed the chair in and headed towards the backdoor.  
  
“Bye,” he said, as she let herself in.  
  
“Bye.”  
  
“One point one five – what?” she heard Oide say. “ _Million!?_  We can’t afford that, Estelle.”  
  
“Excuse me, Dad?” Jo said as she reached the kitchen area.  
  
“Hey Darlin’ – we’re almost done,” Leonard replied, looking over at her.  
  
“Daddy, can I talk to you for a second?” she asked.  
  
Leonard put a comforting hand on Jim’s shoulder as he moved around him. Jo stepped away from the kitchen and he followed her.  
  
“Daddy, is it okay if I use a bathroom here?” Jo asked, keeping her voice low.  
  
“Well, yes…but I don’t know if there’s any toilet paper...”  
  
“I have a packet of tissues in my bag if there’s not,” she said.  
  
“Go right ahead then. Just…don’t throw anything away in the garbage cans, and don’t flush anything you wouldn’t normally.”  
  
Joanna reddened as she realized what her father was alluding to, and rolled her eyes. “How did you know?”  
  
Leonard hesitated for a moment, but then figured it was better to be open and honest. He wanted that from her, after all. “Aurelan saw that you were putting your sheets in the washing machine this morning.”  
  
“Oh…and she told you? Did she tell Oide too?”  
  
Leonard didn’t answer, but apparently that was answer enough and her flush deepened. “Darlin’ it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s a normal part of life,” he said, pulling her into a hug. “And don’t be angry with Aurelan. She just mentioned it because she wanted to make sure you had everything you need.”  
  
“I know,” she said. “I’m not angry…and I guess I’m not really embarrassed…it’s just…private, you know?”  
  
“Bones?” Jim called.  
  
“Be right there.” To Jo he said, “I know, Darlin’. And I’m sorry you have just me and Jim. If you want to talk to a woman, you can always talk to Aurelan. She loves you as much as we love Janie.”  
  
“I know, Daddy. I’m okay, though.”  
  
“Okay…another ten minutes, and then we’ll be ready to go.”  
  
Jo nodded and headed for the bathroom while Leonard went back to the kitchen. Estelle looked up from the paperwork in front of her on the counter when he returned.  
  
“I was just explaining to Jim how we could make this house work for you,” she said. “First, the list price is high, and the sellers know it. I can get them down. Second, they are highly motivated to offload this house. I don’t think they’d turn down any reasonable offer, especially if the funding can be guaranteed.”  
  
“And can our funding be guaranteed?” Leonard asked.  
  
Estelle smiled. “Yes.”  
  
He and Jim glanced at each other. “How much?”  
  
“Up to two million, with twenty percent down, at 2.85%” Estelle replied.  
  
Jim remained silent, running the numbers through his head. He made an excellent salary now, and he knew that Bones made quite a bit more than he did. He also knew that Bones had an excellent sum of money put away – an inheritance from his father that he’d skillfully invested and grown over the years. Both he and Sam did too…also as a result of planning his father and mother had done before he’d been killed in action, and the life insurance policy his mom taken out on herself. They hadn’t known about it until after she’d passed.  
  
 _And if Estelle can get them to come down on the price…_  
  
“How long has the house been up for sale?” Leonard asked.  
  
“Almost two months. I know that doesn’t seem very long, but the market is flooded right now. There are so many foreclosures and short sales and flippers unable to flip…it’s definitely to the buyer’s benefit. And you two gentlemen are the kind of buyers everyone wants.”  
  
Leonard and Jim shared a long, significant look, and Estelle knew exactly what they needed.  
  
“Look, here’s all the paperwork, along with the breakdown of the numbers and how it’d work,” she said, handing them the folder. “You two take a day or two and talk about it. In the meantime, I’m going to contact the group handling this sale, and see about getting the price down. I’ll call you when I have any information. Sound good?”  
  
“Yes,” Jim said, and Leonard nodded in agreement. “Thank you.”  
  
Jo met them at the door, and Estelle locked up after them. They waved as she drove off, and Jo followed her father to his car.  
  
“You’re gonna ride with me Baby?” Leonard asked.  
  
“Yup, your turn!” she said, letting herself into the backseat.  
  
“Bones,” Jim said. Leonard turned to him and smiled. “Could we really do this?” he asked, gesturing to indicate the whole area.  
  
“I think we need to go over things again, plan out a budget and see about putting together that twenty percent, but…yeah. I think we might be able to do this.”  
  
Jim took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m trying not to get too excited.”  
  
Leonard smiled, and kissed Jim, cupping his jaw and sweeping a thumb over his cheek. “Me, too.”  
  
They parted, and got in their cars to head home. As they pulled out of the driveway, they passed a boy who waved and called, “Bye, Jo!”  
  
Leonard looked at his daughter in the rearview mirror, eyebrow raised.  
  
“Who’s that?” he asked.  
  
“Tristan,” she said, all her concentration on something in her lap. “He came around to the back when I was out there reading to see what was going on.”  
  
“Tristan, huh?” Leonard muttered.  
  
Jo looked up and caught his eyes in the mirror.  
  
“Yeah, he lives across the street from the house. He was nice enough.”  
  
 _Great_.  
  
“Daddy?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“When you said you were sorry that I only have you and Jim…I don’t want you to be sorry. You and Oide are great parents. I don’t need anyone else.”  
  
Leonard smiled, warmed through by his daughter’s words. “Thank you Baby. I love you so much. If…if I ever seem nosy or overbearing, it’s because of how much I love you, and I don’t want to miss big events in your life, or ever have you think that I wouldn’t care…or shouldn’t know. Do you understand what I mean?”  
  
Joanna was quiet for a moment, but she did get it. She and Janie actually talked about it a bit. Not having a mom to do things with like go bra shopping, or show her how to put on make-up (even if she isn’t really allowed to wear it), or to tell about getting her period for the first time… sometimes she did miss having someone the way Janie had her mom. And it’s not that she thought her dad or oide wouldn’t help her, or that she couldn’t talk to them, but there’s no way they could  _really_ understand. They weren’t women. It was as simple as that.  
  
But she still wouldn’t change anything.  
  
“Yes, I understand,” she said. Then she decided to prove it. “Daddy – I did try washing the bed sheets this morning, but I think they were ruined.”  
  
Leonard smiled to himself, happy that she felt she could talk to him. “No problem, Darlin’. I’ll replace them.”  
  



	10. Part 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones and Jim reconnect on an intimate level after their argument. They also take steps to secure Jo’s spot in a new school and anticipate hearing from Estelle about the house. Meanwhile, Sam and Aurelan are worried about the health of the baby.

In his sleep, Leonard groaned. He slowly woke, drawn out of a deep sleep by arousal and sensations of pleasure that went from muted and somewhat distant to sharp and pulsing. His brow furrowed, and he tried to move, his hands reaching down and encountering Jim settled between his legs.  
  
He opened his eyes and peered down his body, the gray, dim light of a new morning just barely peeking around the curtains providing just enough illumination to see Jim as he sucked at his cock. Abruptly, Jim switched to running his tongue back and forth over the head while fondling his balls, and Leonard’s back arched as he let out a shuddering breath. His hands carded through Jim’s hair, and he moaned deep in his chest as Jim slid fingers into him, finding and stroking sensitive areas.  
  
Jim hummed around him, making him shudder as his hips jerked and legs trembled.  
  
“Oh…” he gasped, turning his head as his hands clenched in Jim’s hair. “…feels so good, Jim,” he whispered, unable to stay quiet while feeling such intense pleasure.  
  
Jim kept going, the movements of fingers a counterpoint to his tongue, and Bones rocked himself gently, muscles tensing and releasing as he breathed hard, groaning continuously.  
  
Finally, Leonard’s muscles abruptly clenched and he curled upward as much as Jim’s weight on him would allow, holding his breath until he had to let it out in a rush, then gasping as Jim sucked him relentlessly as he spurted. Jim felt Leonard press himself up, then pull back, his hips twisting in Jim’s grasp as he tried to deal with the overwhelming pleasure forcing whines and grunts out of him. Finally, Jim let his fingers slip from Leonard’s body as he released him from his mouth with one last lick, then kissed him and kissed up his body…over his shuddering belly, across his chest, then nipped gently at his lips. Leonard opened to him as Jim kissed him deeply, one hand on his softening cock, still just barely rubbing his thumb back and forth on the frenulum, making Leonard jerk as over-sensitive nerves fired again and again.  
  
Unable to take it anymore, he reached down to remove Jim’s hand, twining their fingers together as they kissed. Jim was hard, rocking against the bare skin of Leonard’s hip, and he turned on his side, drawing a knee up, inviting Jim into him. The click of the lube bottle opening was loud in the quiet room, then Jim snugged up behind him, one arm going around Leonard’s chest and holding him tightly as he gently eased himself into the tight heat of Leonard’s body. Leonard pressed back, wordlessly expressing how much he wanted Jim inside of him.  
  
Jim slipped his other arm under Leonard’s head, holding him tenderly as he kissed his neck and sighed into his ear as they moved together, surging lazily forward and back, Jim’s harsh breathing interspersed with whines and gasps. Enveloped by the sounds and scent of their lovemaking, Leonard curled one hand in the sheets, desperately holding on, nearly overwhelmed with all of the sensations rushing through and around him. He squeezed his eyes closed and concentrated on keeping his body as relaxed as possible, tensing his arms and biting his lip instead. It felt so good…he couldn’t stand it.  
  
Jim reached for Leonard’s hand, urging him to hold onto him instead, as he laced their fingers together. Jim held on to him just as tightly as he got closer and closer to orgasm, fighting the urge to flip Leonard onto his stomach or back to thrust into him harder and faster. The sweet torture of his movements being somewhat constrained by their positions made each breath explode out of him in a sob the longer he teetered on the edge of relief until he just could not take it anymore.  
  
Snapping his hips forward, pressing as deeply as he could into Leonard’s body, Jim bit down on Leonard’s shoulder as his orgasm rushed through him, grunting with exertion and shaking. Feeling that Jim reached his completion, Leonard freed his hand to reach behind himself to Jim’s head, fingers sliding through sweaty and hot hair.  
  
Jim carefully pulled out of him, making them both wince, and Leonard turned over so they were lying face to face. His fingertips trailed over Jim’s face, and he outlined his lips before kissing him softly. Pressed together, sweaty limbs over and around each other, they let their bodies relax, heartbeats slowing from the intensity of the rush as they cooled down…slipping back under the dark, still surface of sleep.  
  
But morning was coming, and Leonard’s restful sleep didn’t last. His internal clock woke him again before the alarm went off. Without moving, not wanting to disturb Jim, he turned his head to see what time it was. Seeing that they had about twenty minutes, he freed an arm and reached over to turn the alarm off, then settled back down under the blankets, relishing how comfortable he was and the solid, warm body pressed against his. In the privacy of the moment, while Jim continued to sleep soundly at his side, Leonard studied his handsome face. This morning was the first time since their argument – when Jim had slept on the couch and left the next day – that they’d had sex.  
  
At first, Leonard had thought that Jim was still upset over what had transpired. But they’d been together a long time, and Leonard felt he knew Jim almost better than he knew himself. He thought it was very likely that Jim was actually worried that  _Leonard_  was still angry. He wasn’t, of course. He never really was. Not angry. Hurt, was more like it. But after everything he’d learned from Jim the night they talked, a lot of that hurt disappeared under a new layer of understanding.  
  
And all that was left was a relationship that was stronger for it.  
  
 _God, I love him._  
  
He vowed to make sure that Jim always knew that. That an argument was never something he had to be afraid of. That their family would never take the backseat to anything else in Leonard’s life.  
  
After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, Leonard propped himself up on his elbow and leaned down to gently kiss Jim awake.  
  
“Mmmm,” Jim murmured. He stirred, and Leonard smiled as those incredibly blue eyes slowly blinked open. Leonard kissed him again, then lay back down, putting his arm around Jim’s shoulders as they cuddled close.  
  
“Good morning,” Jim said.  
  
“It certainly was, earlier,” Leonard said with a wink. “That was quite a way to wake up.”  
  
Jim smiled and slid his hands around Leonard’s bare body, squeezing his ass and pulling him even closer.  
  
“Want to go again?” Jim asked, kissing him and nuzzling his neck.  
  
“Oh, god, yes,” Leonard replied. “But it’s time to get up. Jo’s going to be looking for us in just a few minutes.”  
  
“That’s too bad,” Jim said, and he gasped when Leonard slipped a hand between their bodies and gently stroked his half-hard flesh. “Oh…Bones….what about…”  
  
Leonard kissed him as he continued to touch, gently rubbing his thumb around the corona.  
  
Jim moaned quietly, his breath coming faster as he got more aroused, and he held Bones tightly.  
  
“We have time for this, Darlin’,” Leonard said, smiling a little at the beautiful expression of pleasure on Jim’s face. He chuckled when Jim shivered and then, mindful that Jo was probably awake, said, “Shh, shh…” and kissed him again, muffling his moans as they got louder.  
  
Jim tried to thrust into Bones’ loose grip, but when he did, Bones would stop, just holding him until he stilled. It didn’t take long for Jim to get it, and he wondered when Bones became such a tease. Forcing himself to stay still, and just take whatever Bones decided to do, took every ounce of self-control he had. It was like torture. He loved it.  
  
“Bones…oh, god, please, please,” he whined, barely resisting the urge to pull away and finish himself when Leonard let his fingertips slip up and down over the head of Jim’s cock, sliding on the wetness Jim produced. “I can’t come like this…I can’t take it,” Jim gasped. Everything Bones was doing felt so good he was jerking uncontrollably in his grasp.  
  
“Yes you can,” Leonard said, then pulled away enough to lick his fingers and rub over one of Jim’s sensitive nipples.  
  
Desperate to stay quiet, Jim fisted a pillow and pulled it over his face, holding his breath and biting it as his body tensed, needing to move, needing to come, needing  _more_ ….  
  
Chuckling, Leonard pulled the pillow away and kissed him, taking Jim’s moans into himself. Breaking the kiss, Jim’s chest heaved as he arched, and then he was bucking uncontrollably, clenching his teeth as he grunted and holding on to Leonard as he finally came.  
  
Leonard held him, gently teasing touches prolonging the intense pleasure until Jim tried to pull away, a moan he couldn’t quite stop forcing its way out of him. Leonard let him go and felt his body relax in relief. He kissed him over and over as he slowly came back to himself and caught his breath.  
  
“Love you, Jim,” Leonard was murmuring. “So much.”  
  
Eyes closed, being held so close and with such care by the man who loved him so unequivocally, Jim took a couple more moments to settle himself. When he opened his eyes, Bones was watching him, an intense look in his hazel eyes.  
  
They lay there, warm under the blanket, trading kisses and words, and putting the day off just a little while longer.  
  
Finally, though, a hesitant knock on the door followed by Jo’s voice, “Daddy? Oide? Umm… we’re supposed to leave for school in fifteen minutes.”  
  
Leonard turned to look at the clock – he hadn’t realized it’d gotten that late. “Thank you, Baby,” Leonard called. “Our alarm didn’t go off. We’ll be out in a second.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
Jim smiled brightly. “So much for being a responsible adult,” he teased.  
  
Leonard smiled and shrugged. “It was totally worth it.”  
  
“Yeah it was. Why don’t you stay here,” Jim suggested, stopping him from getting up. “I’ll take a quick shower and bring her to school – I have to pick up the rest of the stuff I asked Carol to put together anyway.”  
  
“Yeah? Okay,” Leonard agreed, settling back down.  
  
Jim smiled and leaned down to kiss him. “We’ll go as soon as I get back. Sound good?”  
  
“Perfect. I’ll be waiting.”  
  
Leonard watched from the bed as Jim headed into the bathroom to take a shower. As usual, he sang while showering. Leonard smiled, shaking his head. He lay there a few more minutes, until the shower turned off, then he threw the blankets back and got up. He needed a shower too.  
  
Jim finished getting ready quickly, and then gave Leonard a kiss goodbye. Leonard stopped him from pulling away and kissed him again, smiling against his lips.  
  
“Daddy? Oide?” Jo called through the door, knocking again.  
  
They chuckled and separated. There was no stopping the day.  
  
“Okay, gotta go. See you soon,” Jim said.  
  
Once Jim and Jo were gone, Leonard took a shower too, and got ready for the day, then cleaned up a bit, changing the sheets on the bed and throwing in a wash. He set the folder of collected information and filled-out forms on the kitchen table, then went about making coffee for he and Jim in a couple of travel mugs.  
  
Today, they were going to officially meet with the Admissions Counselor of the Progressive Education University School, and they were planning to bring as much as they could to show that Jo would satisfy the prerequisites for entry. They were going to be fighting an uphill battle, he knew – Jo would be the youngest person there, if they admitted her – but after reviewing all of the information and doing a couple of visits, they’d decided that this option was the best for her. They’d shared the information about the school with her, and she was excited too. Leonard was careful to make sure she understood there was no guarantee she’d be able to go, that they were just looking at the possibility.  
  
But, they felt a little stronger about it than that. After delving into the way the school worked, Leonard was on board with Jim in thinking a move would be the best for her. He’d not forgotten that bedtime conversation when she’d confided in him how much time she felt like she was just “waiting”. McKinley had been a good fit for a while, but she’d outgrown it. They had to find something better – she deserved something better – and they hoped to prove that she would be a good match with the school to the counselor so that they could continue with the application process.  
  
And the house….the house was another major thing happening today. Estelle had gotten the current owners to come down in their asking price quite a bit, and then they’d submitted an offer even lower than that. It was a bit of a risk, but they just weren’t getting a lot of bites, and they were carrying the expense of two houses while they waited for this one to sell. As Estelle had said, he and Jim were the “kind of buyers everyone wants”. They were expecting to hear if their offer was accepted, or if there was a counteroffer sometime today.  
  
It was a lot to take in.  
  
But – it could all work so well. The University School wasn’t far from this house, and it was on the routes both Jim and Leonard would take on their way to work. Even better, in addition to the fantastic scholastic programs that made the school such a good opportunity for Jo, they also had after-school activities, tutoring, and study hall, so that if Jo had to wait to be picked up, her time wouldn’t be wasted.  
  
He was flipping through the preliminary forms he’d filled out when he heard the front door open.  
  
“Bones?” Jim called.  
  
“Kitchen,” he replied.  
  
Jim joined him, carrying a file folder that contained a copy of Joanna’s transcripts from the time she started McKinley to the present.  
  
“Oh, thank you,” Jim said when Leonard handed him a travel mug of coffee. He took a sip and smiled at the sweetness he found. Bones grumbled all the time about how much sugar he put in his coffee, but he’d made it for him the way he liked it. “It’s perfect.”  
  
Leonard smiled, a soft, fond look in his eyes.  
  
“What?” Jim asked when he caught Bones looking at him like that.  
  
“Nothin’,” Leonard replied, eyes crinkling. “Just remembering this mornin’.”  
  
Jim grinned and used his free hand to gently grip Leonard’s tie, pulling him close. He kissed him softly, then again. Then smiling against his lips, Jim whispered, “Wait until tonight.” He pulled back and picked up the folder again. “We should get going. Ready?”  
  
Smirking at the expression on Bones’ face, Jim headed out of the kitchen. Moments later, pants a little tighter than they should be, Bones headed after him.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
Aurelan lay back on the table, pregnant belly exposed. She shivered, and Sam took her hand.  
  
“You okay?” he asked quietly.  
  
She nodded, turning her head to look at him. “A little chilly…a little nervous. I’m fine.”  
  
“They always keep these rooms like iceboxes. I have no idea why,” the doctor said apologetically. “I’m just going to put some of this jelly on you…”  
  
Aurelan nodded again, and they both practically held their breath as the doctor pressed the transducer against her skin. A picture came up on the screen that was almost immediately recognizable as the sound of his heartbeat filled the room. The curve of the head, the line of the back, the little tushie, the little arms and legs…their baby boy.  
  
“There he is,” the doctor said. She glanced at the parents, and smiled at the totally enraptured expression on their faces. She loved that look. “He looks good,” she murmured, but her eyes were on the screen intently, listening to the sound of the fetus’ heartbeat and seeing something that she hated to see.  
  
“What?” Sam asked, when he noticed her studying the screen so carefully.  
  
She looked back at them and gave them a comforting smile. “Probably nothing,” she said. “At this stage we look for particular markers of development, and the heart is one of them.”  
  
“Is something wrong with his heart?” Aurelan asked, her own heart skipping a beat as her mouth went dry.  
  
“It could just be his position, or it could be something I’m misreading,” she said. “But I’m going to suggest you get a fetal echocardiogram, just to make sure everything is fine.”  
  
“Why?” Aurelan asked. “What might not be fine?”  
  
The doctor hesitated while handing Aurelan some tissues to wipe the gel off of her belly. She hated making parents worry before anyone knew for sure that there was something to worry about. But in situations like this, it couldn’t be helped.  
  
“There’s a possibility that his heart isn’t developing properly,” she said. “But,” she continued quickly as Aurelan’s eyes filled with tears and Sam’s lips thinned. “I’m not sure, and I don’t want you to worry unnecessarily. In the event that there is something wrong, we have options.”  
  
“What are they?” Sam asked. He looked over at Aurelan and gently wiped a tear off her cheek, then took her hand again, holding it against his chest.  
  
“Well, we can’t really talk about that until we know exactly what, if anything, is going on,” she replied.  
  
Aurelan sat up and rearranged her clothes. “Well, when can we get it done? I want it as soon as possible.”  
  
“Of course. We’ll schedule you for as soon as possible.” She smiled again, trying to impart confidence and calm. “Everything else looks good – which is an excellent sign. He falls within the right range for his size, he’s active…”  
  
“Oh, yeah he’s active,” Aurelan added, one hand gently caressing her belly. “He settles when his sisters or Sam talks to him, but he’s moving around a lot in there.”  
  
The doctor nodded. “All very, very good signs.  _You_  are doing well, too, Mom. Your blood pressure is good, your sugar is good…any issues with heartburn, nausea, sleeplessness? Anything like that?”  
  
“No,” Aurelan said. “It’s been really easy. I mean, I didn’t even know he was there for these five months.”  
  
“True,” the doctor said with a smile. “Okay….you can sit up and get dressed. When you’re ready, come on down to the check-out desk and we’ll set you up for the fetal echo.”  
  
The doctor left them and Aurelan sat up. Sam turned to get the shirt she’d traded for a blue gown, and when he turned back tears were streaming down her face.  
  
“Oh, hey…no, no love, don’t do that,” he said, wrapping her in his arms. She held on to him, pressing her face against his shoulder.  
  
“What if something’s wrong with him?” she asked tearfully. “What if something happened because I didn’t know I was pregnant? How could I not know?”  
  
“Aurelan,” Sam said, firming his voice a little. There was no way he was going to let her place all this blame on herself, maybe for nothing. “There might not be  _anything_  wrong with him at all. And if something is up, Hon, it’s not going to be because of anything you did, or didn’t do. You didn’t do anything in those five months that would’ve been dangerous to a baby.”  
  
He reached for a tissue and gently dabbed at her face, drying her tears.  
  
“I don’t know what we’ll do if he’s sick,” she said. “I can’t even imagine…”  
  
“We’ll do whatever we need to do,” Sam said. “If there’s a problem, we’ll do whatever we can. But until we find out for sure, let’s not borrow trouble, okay?”  
  
Aurelan sniffed and took the tissue from him. She knew all of this, and she knew that if something was wrong, she wouldn’t be to blame for it…but it was hard not to feel that way.  
  
“Okay,” she said, sounding a little better. She plucked another tissue from the box, wiped her eyes and blew her nose, feeling herself come back under control from the wave of emotion. “I’m a mess.”  
  
“No, you’re beautiful,” Sam said, gently tilting her face up with a finger under her chin. He smiled and gave her a kiss, then rubbed his nose against hers. “C’mon…let’s go make that appointment and get out of here.”  
  
Aurelan finished dressing and together they waited at the desk to make their appointment. When they found out they had a choice between San Fran Gen and another hospital in the area, they looked at each other then simultaneously said, “San Fran Gen.”  
  
They didn’t know if Leonard would be able to help with navigating an area that was completely outside of his, but that didn’t really matter. It made them both feel better to know that they’d be somewhere he would be.  
  
“I guess we have to tell the family,” Sam said, once they were in the car and headed home.  
  
“Not the kids,” Aurelan said. “And  _not_  my sister. I can just hear her now -  _well, Aurelan, you must have known the risks of having a baby at your age_ ,” she said, mimicking her sister’s higher, slightly nasally voice almost perfectly.  
  
Sam glanced at her. “Don’t do that. It freaks me out.”  
  
Aurelan laughed softly and placed a hand on his leg. “Just Len and Jim,” she said. “And preferably before the appointment.”  
  
“I’ll call them tonight,” Sam said. “See if they can get a sitter and come out to dinner with us this weekend.”  
  
Aurelan nodded. Her appointment was this coming Monday, so that would be perfect. She looked down at the information sheet she’d been handed about the fetal echocardiogram. Her mind was racing with thoughts of the little baby who was depending on them, and she placed a protective hand on her belly, silently praying that everything would be okay. That the baby would be healthy, and that this was just a false alarm.  
  
Sam glanced over at his wife again, and put a hand over hers on her belly. They looked at each other, and Aurelan knew that Sam was praying for all the same things.  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Leonard and Jim took seats on the other side Bernard DeSalle’s desk. For Leonard, this was so reminiscent of the beginning of their relationship with McKinley, he was experiencing déjà vu. For Jim, though, this was the first time he was doing something like this on this side of the desk, and he was nervous. He wanted to make a good impression on the admissions director and he wanted to convince him to allow Joanna to apply.  
  
So far, though, so good. They’d toured the school, were shown how the logistics of it worked, and the breakdown of tuition, and now they were sitting down to talk specifics. Just as DeSalle was sitting, Jim’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it. Whatever it was would have to wait.  
  
“So,” DeSalle said. “Tell me Joanna’s story.”  
  
Leonard and Jim glanced at each other.  _Her story?_  
  
“Uh…where would you like us to start?” Jim asked.  
  
DeSalle laced his fingers together on the desk in front of him. “At the beginning. I’d like to hear all about the girl not described in the school reports – which are very impressive, by the way.”  
  
Leonard took a breath, and launched into the story from the beginning of their life together, by first explaining why Jo’s mom wasn’t in the picture.  
  
“…so I moved us here, and Jo ended up in Jim’s classroom,” Leonard said, glancing at Jim.  
  
Jim smiled, and picked up the narrative. “Jo was very shy at first and being in a classroom was hard for her. Later, we realized that some of that was because of undiagnosed hyperacusis. Once that issue was addressed with some simple sound therapy, she started opening up a little. And over the years, she’s really come into her own. She’s empathetic, well-adjusted and friendly. She’s still a little quiet, but I don’t feel – as a psychologist or as a parent – that it holds her back. She’s able to work with and through her natural introverted inclinations.”  
  
“And what about that?” DeSalle asked, leaning back in his chair. “Should Joanna attend, she’ll be the youngest student here by at least two years. I would think a situation like that – which would be stressful for any child – will be even more difficult for her to handle.”  
  
Leonard hesitated a moment before answering. That was actually a concern he had himself. “As Jim said, Jo is introverted. She prefers quiet to loud, and has a small, close circle of friends, though she has never had a problem getting along with or working with anyone. Jo is very well aware of what she’ll be walking in to here. She’s intelligent, but she’s also emotionally mature, and we’ve talked about what will be expected of her here. And frankly, she’s hungry for it. She’s bored in class, and she’s not being challenged.” He paused, looking at Jim for a second. “I’ve had more than a few misgivings about taking her out of McKinley early, but Jim knows my daughter, knows what she’s capable of, and I trust him completely. And we both think this environment is the best one for her.”  
  
“Well, Mr. McCoy and Mr. Kirk, I appreciate your candor. I would like some more time to review the information you provided and confer with some of the core teachers, but let’s also go ahead and set up an interview with Joanna.”  
  
“An interview with Joanna?” Leonard repeated in question.  
  
“Yes. Part of the application process is an interview with me and two of our teachers. In your daughter’s case, though – because of her age – I think an interview should be conducted before we go any further.”  
  
It made sense that they’d want to speak with her beforehand, but Leonard and Jim knew how much of a challenge this would likely be for her. And…it was entirely possible that they would deny her application because of the way she interviewed.  
  
On the other hand, he’d underestimated his baby girl before.  
  
“That sounds like a good idea,” Leonard said.  
  
Jim glanced at him out of the side of his eye.  _It does?_  he thought, but he kept his mouth shut.  
  
“Well good,” DeSalle said, standing. Leonard and Jim stood too, and they shook hands. “I look forward to meeting her. She sounds like an impressive young lady.”  
  
“Thank you. We think she is,” Jim said with a smile.  
  
“In the meantime, if you have any questions about the information we’ve provided, or if you need anything else, let us know,” Leonard said.  
  
“Very good…we’ll be in touch.”  
  
They headed out of his office, and he walked them to the front area where they were introduced to the school secretary to schedule the appointment for Jo’s interview, in a little less than a week.  
  
Finally done, Leonard and Jim headed out and back to Jim’s car. Once seated inside, they both let out a sigh of relief then looked at each other.  
  
“I think that went pretty well,” Jim said, and Leonard nodded with a smile.  
  
“He wouldn’t even bother with an interview if they weren’t seriously considering her, right?”  
  
“Right,” Jim confirmed. “But an interview…how do you think she’ll handle that?” he asked, pulling out his cellphone to see who’d called earlier.  
  
“You know…not even a few months ago I would’ve said there was no way she’d be up for it,” Leonard said. “But now…she’s come so far and opened up so much. I think she has a good chance of being able to show them she could do well here.”  
  
Jim nodded as he turned on the car. “I think so, too, Bones. And I really do think this is the best move for her as well – for her education and otherwise – even if it does take some adjustment.”  
  
“Well, like I told DeSalle, I trust you completely. And I trust your instincts.  _And_  I love how you described yourself as a parent without even a second thought,” he said. He reached for Jim’s hand and gave him a squeeze.  
  
Jim smiled, a slow flush of pleasure creeping across his face and he glanced at Leonard briefly. “That just kinda popped out…I didn’t even really think it. It’s just how I feel.”  
  
“And you should. Who called?”  
  
“Sam. He wants to get dinner sometime this weekend – just the adults.”  
  
“Really? Hm…I wonder why,” Leonard said. It was an unusual request. When they had dinner together it nearly always included all the kids. He had to really think back to the last time they had dinner with just the two couples.  
  
“I don’t know, he didn’t say,” Jim said. “You know what Jo’s going to say about it.”  
  
Leonard grimaced. “Yeah, I know.”  
  
“Well, do you think, maybe we could consider it?” Jim asked. “I mean, I think she’s responsible enough to be left alone for a couple of hours.”  
  
Leonard shrugged, and Jim smiled to himself. Bones, he knew, was still having a bit of trouble recognizing that Jo was growing up, and quickly. At nearly twelve, staying home by herself for a couple of hours while they were ten minutes away shouldn’t be a big deal, but Leonard had yet to allow it.  
  
“I’ll think about it,” he said finally.  
  
“Good enough,” Jim replied with a smile.  
  
“It’s not her I don’t trust,” Leonard said, feeling a little ridiculous and a little defensive.  
  
“I know,” Jim said, leaving the question of what exactly it was he didn’t trust if it was not Joanna herself unspoken. He kept his eyes on the road as he navigated the parking lot and out onto the street, resisting the urge glance at Bones even though he felt his gaze on him, waiting for him to say something else about it. He wouldn’t though. Bones knew how Jim felt, but it wasn’t his decision.  
  
“Hmph.” Leonard finally turned away and Jim smiled. “I don’t suppose there were any messages from Estelle?” he asked, changing the subject.  
  
“No, nothing,” Jim replied. “Your phone?”  
  
“Nope.”  
  
“But that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Jim said, saying it as much to reassure himself as anything else. “I mean, no news is still good news, right?”  
  
“Right,” Leonard replied. He turned back to Jim, studying his profile. “You know, though, if we don’t get this house we’ll just keep lookin’. We’ll find the one that we’re supposed to have.”  
  
Jim smiled and looked over at him. “Supposed to have?” Jim echoed. “You’re starting to sound like me.”  
  
Leonard reached across the car and brushed Jim’s cheek with his thumb. “Well, can’t say I’d mind that all that much, Darlin’.”  
  
A warm feeling spread through Jim and Leonard took his hand again. And Jim never wanted him to let go.  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Jim stepped up to the host stand while Leonard fiddled with his phone.  
  
“Bones, seriously. It’s charged, the ringer is on and it’ll vibrate if you get a message. I’ve got mine, Aurelan and Sam each have theirs…if Jo needs to get hold of us, she’ll be able to.”  
  
Leonard sighed irritably and reluctantly put his phone away. Jim was right. He was worrying needlessly. But it wasn’t like he could flip a switch and turn the worry off. This was the first time he’d left Jo alone. She’d been reading at the kitchen table with a couple of slices of pizza when they’d left. The doors were locked, the alarm was set…all she had to do was put her plate in the sink, and entertain herself for a few hours while they were ten minutes away.  
  
Of course she could handle that. All Leonard had to do was convince himself that he could handle it too.  
  
When the hostess returned, Jim asked about the rest of their party, and it turned out Aurelan and Sam were already there.  
  
“Hey Jim, Leonard,” Sam said as they approached the table. He stood and the brothers embraced briefly. “Thanks for joining us tonight.” Leonard leaned over to kiss Aurelan’s cheek, and Jim did the same while Leonard and Sam shook hands. Once everyone was seated a waiter came over to take their drink orders.  
  
The conversation was light while everyone looked over the menu, and Aurelan and Sam commiserated with Leonard over leaving his child home alone for the first time. Jim sympathized with Leonard’s worry, but he didn’t feel it. Part of him wondered if that was the difference between a “real” parent, and someone who acquired the role…that if she was actually his, he’d be just as worried. Something of what he was feeling must’ve shown in his expression, because Leonard put his hand on Jim’s thigh under the table.  
  
“Well, Jim is sure she’s mature enough to handle it, and he’s got a hell of a lot more experience with kids than I do. I only ever had Jo…he’s had a few hundred,” Leonard said, giving him a smile. Jim covered Leonard’s hand with his own and squeezed in thanks. It still helped to be reminded that his feelings and experience, though different, were just as valid to Bones.  
  
The server came back with everyone’s drinks, and took their orders. Once that was completed, Jim looked at his brother.  
  
“So, what’s with the grown-ups only dinner?” he asked.  
  
Sam and Aurelan glanced at each other, and she reflexively cradled her belly. Leonard observed her body language and exchanged a look with Jim.  
  
“Is everything okay?” Leonard asked calmly.  
  
“Well, we hope so,” Sam said. He took Aurelan’s hand and took a breath. “The doctor wants us to do a fetal echocardiogram. We’re going to your hospital for it, Len…and we…”  
  
“We wanted you guys to know. We’re not telling the children.”  
  
Leonard nodded and glanced at Jim as he asked, “Why does the doctor want you to get a fetal echocardiogram? Is…is the baby…”  
  
“We don’t know,” Aurelan said lowly. She wiped her cheek as a tear escaped. “I mean, the doctor wouldn’t say anything definitive, but…”  
  
“Hey, now,” Leonard said. “Many women are referred for a fetal echo around 25 weeks. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong. It could just be that she couldn’t get a good look at the heart. Or it could be something that solves itself. Did you know that many babies have small holes in their hearts that close up on their own before delivery? Something like that needs to be monitored, but it’s not serious.”  
  
Leonard reached across the table and grasped Sam’s and Aurelan’s arms. “There is no need for you to worry about the little guy yet. And even if there is something wrong, there’s so much medicine can do to help before he’s even born. I know it won’t be possible for you to not worry, so I won’t say don’t…but please also keep in mind that there might not be anything to worry about.”  
  
Aurelan nodded as Sam smiled tightly. “Thanks Len. That helps.”  
  
“And of course,” he said. “If I can help at all, I absolutely will. Of course, it’s a little out of my area.” He turned to Jim, who’d been suspiciously quiet. He took Jim’s hand and gave him a comforting smile. “I mean it. Everything is most likely fine.”  
  
The server brought their meals and Leonard tried to gently steer the conversation to happier topics. He knew they were all worried, but he really believed everything would be okay, and worrying about something that wasn’t certain was pointless.  
  
“Any news about the house?” Aurelan asked.  
  
Jim shook his head. “Not yet. I thought we were going to hear from Estelle yesterday, but she never called.”  
  
“Well,” Sam said as he cut a piece of chicken. “No news is good news, right?”  
  
Len chuckled.  _Kirks_ , he thought fondly.


	11. Part 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This part is rated NC-17
> 
> Leonard and Jim finally get news about the house, and Joanna prepares for her interview.

“How about this top and this skirt?” Jo asked, pulling the items out of her closet and holding them up to her father.  
  
He paused in putting folded t-shirts and pajamas away in her dresser to glance up at the items.  
  
“Those look nice together, Jo.”  
  
Joanna sighed, and tossed them onto her bed, taking a seat on the edge. “That’s what you’ve said about the others, too.”  
  
Hearing the frustration in her tone, Leonard stopped what he was doing and went over to her, sitting down cross-legged on the floor in front of her.  
  
“Darlin’, all of the outfits you picked look nice, and they’re all good choices. Any one of them would be fine because the teachers are going to be interested in what you have to say more than what you’re wearin’,” Leonard said. He reached to take her hands. “And you’re going to do great because all you have to do is be yourself, okay?”  
  
“I just…I think this school is so neat, and I really want to go, and what if…” she flushed and trailed off, and Leonard knew what she was thinking.  _What if she messed up her chance._  
  
“Hey,” he tugged gently, and she left the bed to go to him, climbing into his lap and cuddling in his arms against his chest. He just held her for a moment, tenderly stroking her soft curls. He remembered when she was younger how they would cuddle like this often…for any reason. Now that she was all of eleven – almost twelve – there weren’t many times she tolerated being “treated like a baby”. Leonard didn’t think of it that way, though. She didn’t have to be young for him to hold her like this. He’d do this as often as she’d let him, no matter her age. She would always be his baby.  
  
“Jo, remember what I told you about the age of the students at the school?” Leonard asked quietly.  
  
“Yes,” she said, her voice slightly muffled against him. “That if I get in, I’ll be the youngest by at least two years.”  
  
“Yes,” Leonard replied. “And there’s a possibility that the people who decide which kids are accepted will think that you’re simply too young. And that wouldn’t be your fault at all, right? You can’t help how old you are.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
“So…” he continued, absently gathering her hair and letting it fall back in place to frame her pretty face. “There’s no reason for you to worry about anything. All you have to do is be yourself, and they’ll see how good and smart you are. And if you don’t get in…” he shrugged and she tipped her head up to look him in his eyes. “It’ll be because of your age – something you can’t help at all. Okay?”  
  
“But what if I can’t talk?” she asked, fiddling with a button on his shirt. “What if I just…can’t get the words to come out?”  
  
“If that happens, just take a deep breath, count to five, let it out slowly, and try again. All you have to do is your best.”  
  
Joanna nodded. “Okay.”  
  
Leonard smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Joanna wound her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. They sat there for another minute, then Jo stretched and moved to get up. Leonard set her lightly on her feet and watched as she made a final decision on the clothes she was going to wear tomorrow. Leonard pushed himself up and glanced at his watch, surprised to see how late it was.  
  
“Can you put the rest of your clothes away for me, Jo? And clean up your room a bit. I want to get dinner started.”  
  
“Sure,” she said. “Thanks, Daddy. I feel better.”  
  
He paused in her doorway. “Good. The most important thing to me and Jim is that you’re happy. And if this school is part of that, great. If not, no big deal. We’ll find something that works perfectly for you. Got it?”  
  
“Got it,” she said.  
  
“Good. Dinner is in about an hour.”  
  
“Pizza?”  
  
“Fish.”  
  
“Oh, okay,” she said with an exaggerated sigh.  
  
Leonard smiled and left her to finish the simple chores in her room, and headed out to the kitchen. Jim had a late strategy meeting about that kid he’d taken such an interest in, and he expected him home any time. He hoped that everything was going to work out for him…he knew how much it meant to Jim to see that the boy have a chance in his life.  
  
He pulled the ingredients out of the fridge and set to preparing the fish, vegetables and rice for dinner. There was a lot going on right now in their family, and he was completely preoccupied with thoughts of Jim, his daughter, Sam and Aurelan, and everything they were dealing with right now, and of course them and the possibility of the house.  
  
Estelle had finally gotten back to them with a quick text that just said, “Still working on it. Looking good.”  
  
That hadn’t given them a lot of information, but it had buoyed their spirits. And though Leonard and Jim were constantly cautioning each other against getting their hopes too high and pinning them on this particular house, they’d both given in to the excitement and possibility. Just the other day they saw a couch on tv they both liked, and had talked about where in the new house it would look best. He smiled at the memory, and looked forward to when they could actually furnish a house together, and have it be  _theirs_  in every way.  
  
Leonard placed the fish fillets on a baking sheet and drizzled them with a little olive oil. He was working on cutting up the vegetables, his thoughts wandering, when the sound of phone ringing startled him.  
  
“Ah, fuck!”  
  
He cut himself. He hadn’t cut himself in forever. Blood welled up from the cut, and he couldn’t tell how bad it was. Cupping his other hand under the injured one to catch the blood, he hurried to the other counter and dropped the knife in the sink. Turning on the water, he winced as he rinsed the injured finger.  
  
“Hey, I’m home!” Jim called.  
  
“In the kitchen…can you bring me the first aid kit?”  
  
“What?” Jim hurried into the kitchen and dropped his bag and coat on a chair. He came over to Leonard, looking over his shoulder to see what was up. “What happened?”  
  
“Cut myself chopping vegetables,” Leonard said. “I don’t think it’s serious.”  
  
He pulled his finger out of the stream of water and looked at the cut – a thin, fairly deep slit in the skin that was still bleeding freely. Jim paled and took a step away from the sink.  
  
“Bones, that looks like a big cut and that’s a lot of blood…maybe we should wrap it up and take you to the hospital.”  
  
“Nah, it’s not bleeding as much as it looks like, and it’s not that deep.” He flexed his fingers, making it bleed more, but assuring him that nothing else was injured. “I’m fine. If you bring me…” he trailed off when he looked over his shoulder at Jim. “Oh, no….you’re not going to pass out on me are you? Go sit down before you fall down.”  
  
“No, no…I’m not going to pass out,” Jim said. He left out the part about feeling queasy. “I’ll go get the first aid kit. Be right back.”  
  
Hurrying out of the kitchen, he called a quick hello to Joanna as he retrieved the first aid kit from the hall closet. Coming back in to the kitchen, he found Leonard still standing at the sink using a paper towel to put pressure on the cut.  
  
“Okay, Bones, come here,” Jim said. He removed his things from the kitchen table and took a seat, pulling out another chair for Leonard.  
  
“You sure you’re okay to fix me up?” Leonard asked, coming over to take a seat. “I can get Jo…”  
  
Jim smiled, shaking his head. “You’re such an ass. Let me see.”  
  
Leonard held out his hand and Jim spent a few minutes using the supplies in the kit to gently clean it, apply an antibacterial cream and bandage it.  
  
“Why is it bleeding so much?” he murmured, securing a second bandage over the first one.  
  
“There are a lot of capillaries in fingers,” Leonard said. “But it’ll be fine. The pressure from the bandage will stop it.”  
  
“Okay, there you go,” Jim said. He held Bones’ hand, examining the results of his work. “Good thing I came home when I did.”  
  
Leonard smiled. “My hero.”  
  
Jim chuckled and leaned close to him for a kiss.  
  
“So…are you going to finish making dinner, too?” Leonard asked.  
  
“Sure. Just come tell me what to do.”  
  
They stood, and first thing Leonard had Jim do was remove the cutting board and everything on it because though he’d been quick, some blood had dripped onto what he’d been working on.  
  
“Well, at least most of the vegetables were already in the pan,” Jim said. He pulled out another cutting board and knife and finished with the zucchini. “What do you want me to do with this?”  
  
Leonard directed and Jim put the vegetables in the oven, then set the timer.  
  
“Perfect. We’ll put the fish in for the last few minutes. It won’t take long; fish cooks pretty quickly.”  
  
“I can’t believe you cut yourself,” Jim said. He pulled sodas from the fridge and opened one before handing it to Leonard. “I think that’s the first time you did that since I’ve known you.”  
  
“Yeah, I wasn’t paying attention. Oh…the phone. There was a phone call that startled me. He picked up the house phone and looked at the caller id, and his stomach fluttered with excitement. “It was Estelle. She left a message.”  
  
“Play it,” Jim said, taking a seat next to him. “Put it on speaker.”  
  
Leonard dialed in to the voice mailbox and hit speaker.  _”Leonard, Jim, it’s Estelle. I have news. Call me.”_  
  
Leonard rolled his eyes. “Why don’t people ever leave their news in a message?” he grumbled as he punched in her number. Jim smiled, waiting with baited breath for her to answer. Like Leonard, he’d been trying not to get his hopes up. But, to be completely honest with himself, he was already pretty invested in this house. It was everything he wanted, and to have that with Bones and Jo…well, it would be amazing.  
  
_“This is Estelle, can I help you?”_  
  
“Hello Estelle, this is Leonard and Jim. You said you have news?”  
  
_“Oh, yes I do.”_  She paused, and they held their breath.  _“You got it.”_  
  
Stunned, Leonard and Jim were speechless as they looked at each other.  
  
_”Hello?”_  
  
“Uh…yeah, sorry. We’re still here…just a little…we got it?” Jim asked, hardly daring to believe it.  
  
_”Yes.”_  
  
“But…but not for what we offered, right?” Leonard asked.  
  
_”Oh, yes. For what you offered.”_  
  
Still simply stunned, Jim and Leonard stared at each other over the phone. They got the house. Their house. It was  _their_  house!  
  
_”You know, gentlemen, this is not exactly the reaction I was expecting.”_  
  
“YES! Estelle, you are amazing!” Jim shouted. They jumped to their feet and hugged each other tightly. Grinning like idiots, Leonard grabbed Jim’s shirt and pulled him close for a kiss.  
  
“That is just…It’s more than we ever thought you’d be able to pull off,” Leonard said, picking up the phone. “We’re so happy – you have no idea.”  
  
_”Well, that’s more like it,”_  Estelle said, a note of happy satisfaction in her voice.  _”They don’t call me the best for nothing.”_  
  
“No, they certainly don’t,” Jim said. “Thank you for all your hard work.”  
  
_”Putting good people like you in your choice of home warms my heart. Call my office sometime tomorrow to make an appointment to get the official paperwork started. Have a good night, gentlemen.”_  
  
“We will, thanks again, Estelle. Talk to you soon,” Leonard said.  
  
He disconnected the call, and they just stared at each other for a moment, then broke down in happy laughter. Jim reached for Bones again, and they hugged.  
  
“I can’t believe we got it!” Jim said. “I mean, I’d hoped…but I just….I never really thought…” Jim sat back down, looking a little shell-shocked.  
  
“I know,” Leonard said. He took a second to put the fish in the oven to cook while the veggies finished. Turning, he leaned against the counter to look at Jim. He wondered if he still felt as sure about this as he had when it was all just a hypothetical. He resolved to talk about it with him tonight, before anything was official. “So, let’s keep this to ourselves. I don’t want to put any more pressure on Jo than she’s already feeling about tomorrow.”  
  
“Okay, yeah. Good thinking. How is she doing? I didn’t even get a chance to give that a second thought since I walked into a disaster.”  
  
Leonard had to roll his eyes at that and threw Jim a teasing smile. “Seriously, Jim? A cut on my finger is a disaster? So ridiculous.”  
  
Jim grinned and shrugged, turning to pull out plates, cups, and utensils.  
  
“Anyway,” Leonard continued. “I think she’s doing okay. We talked about it earlier, and I reminded her about the age thing. That seemed to help. She’s a little nervous – mostly about whether or not she’ll be able to work through the reticence.”  
  
Jim nodded and finished setting the table. “What did you say about that?”  
  
“Just that all she had to do was her best, and if the words wouldn’t come to take a deep breath and try it again.” He paused, fork in hand as he fluffed the rice. “I didn’t want to make a big deal of it…but…I don’t know. Do you think I should’ve said something else?”  
  
Jim came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Leonard’s waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. Leonard smiled and recovered the pot to keep it warm.  
  
“No,” Jim said quietly, right near his ear. “I think you handled it perfectly.”  
  
Leonard put the fork down and turned in Jim’s arms, so they were face to face. He cupped Jim’s cheek and brushed their lips together, smiling between kisses, so incredibly happy.  
  
“You guys are always kissing,” Jo said as she came into the kitchen. “It’s kinda gross. Hi Oide. Is dinner ready yet? I’m starved.”  
  
Laughing softly, Jim rested his head on Leonard’s shoulder for a second, and Leonard hugged him.  
  
“We’ll pick this up later,” he whispered.  
  
“Tease.”  
  
Jim separated from him and joined Joanna at the table, giving her a hug and settling in to hear about her day. Leonard took the plates Jim handed him and scooped some rice onto them, then checked the fish. He returned the plates to Jim and pulled the pan of fish and veggies out of the oven to bring to the table. He served Jo and Jim, and then himself, and then sat back and just watched his two favorite people in the world, thinking about the first dinner they would have around the table in their own home. Jim looked up and caught Leonard watching him, and they both smiled, the shared secret sparkling in their eyes.  
  
A few hours later, dinner was done, kitchen cleaned up, and Jo was in bed. Leonard and Jim were in the privacy of their room, catching up with each other. Their days were always so busy, so hurried with the responsibilities of their jobs and Jo, who was developing quite the schedule of her own, these quiet times were becoming more and more treasured.  
  
Sitting on the bed, the first aid kit open between them, Jim told him about the meeting he’d had about Ryan and what he’d been working on to help that boy and his sister. As they talked, he carefully tended to Leonard’s hand again, removing the bandage that had gotten wet while showering, cleaning the cut and dabbing on some more antibiotic ointment.  
  
“It’s not bleeding anymore,” Jim murmured as he carefully placed another bandage over the injury.  
  
“Yeah, it’ll heal up in a couple of days. Thanks.”  
  
“No problem.” He snapped the kit closed and got up to put it on the bureau. “It’s nice to be on the other side of the medical kit.”  
  
Leonard smirked. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”  
  
“So…when do you--” Jim paused at a knock on the door.  
  
“Daddy? Oide?” Jo’s voice came through the closed door. “Can I come in?”  
  
Leonard hurried to the door and opened it for her. “Hey Baby. I thought you were asleep,” he said, giving her a hug.  
  
“I can’t sleep. My brain is just going and going about tomorrow.”  
  
“Aw, Jo you’re going to be great, sweetie,” Jim said. He reached for her and she went to him, leaning against his side. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”  
  
“Well, I guess I’m not really worried about it,” Jo said.  
  
“No?” Jim asked. She shook her head. “Excited, then?”  
  
“Yeah…excited,” she said, keeping her eyes down and sounding less than convincing. She was nervous. It was obvious. And completely understandable. Leonard met Jim’s eyes and he gave a slight shrug. Jo sought them out for comfort. Turning her away to go back to bed just wasn’t something either of them had it in them to do.  
  
“Well, let’s see if we can help calm that brain of yours down a little,” Leonard said. “C’mon, come lay down with us.”  
  
For a second it looked like Jo was going to object on the principle that she wasn’t a baby anymore, but this was what she was her for, and gave in quickly. She followed them over to the bed and climbed up. Jim lay down on his side, Jo settled down next to him, propped up slightly on some pillows, then Leonard lay down as well. She’d come in with a book she was reading, and she held it to her chest.  
  
“Are you going to read to us, Baby?” Leonard asked. “What book are you working on now?”  
  
“Tuck Everlasting,” she replied, opening it and flipping to where she’d left off. “It’s one of my favorites.”  
  
Jim smiled at that, and Leonard’s heart tugged at seeing so much of the man he loved in his little girl. Cuddled between them, Jo read the story out loud. Laying on their sides, listening to her sweet voice, Leonard brought his feet in contact with Jim’s and felt as content as he ever had.  
  
It didn’t take long for Jo to wear herself out. It wasn’t much later than she was used to going to bed, but the act of reading to them before bedtime primed her for sleep. As she finished the second chapter, Leonard could see that she was blinking quickly and trying to stifle yawns.  
  
“Time for bed?” Leonard asked quietly, as she closed the book and let it rest on her chest.  
  
“Yeah, I’m ready. Oide fell asleep,” she added. Leonard nodded and held a finger to his lips. Quietly, they got off the bed and headed out of the bedroom to Jo’s. Leonard followed her into her room, waiting as she replaced her book on the bookshelf and climbed into bed.  
  
“When I said my prayers tonight, I asked God to help me tomorrow,” Jo said. “Oide did to. Will you?”  
  
Although he was a lot more comfortable with the idea of Jo having that kind of faith in her life than he was initially, he wasn’t exactly an active participant in it, and she knew it. Jim shared this particular thing with her, not him. He hesitated before answering, using the time to cover her and give her a kiss.  
  
“You know I don’t believe the same thing you and Jim do, Baby, but yes, I’ll say a prayer for you. Just in case there’s someone listening.”  
  
Jo smiled. “Thanks, Daddy. Now?”  
  
So, kneeling by Jo’s bed, he bent his head and spoke his prayer as honestly as he could.  
  
“God, if you’re there, please be with Jo tomorrow. I may not have faith in my life, but Jo does, and she prayed for You to help her. As her father, I’m asking for You to help her be confidant and calm and just the best she can.” He paused, feeling awkward. “Uh…Amen.”  
  
He raised his head to see Jo watching him, a small smile on her face. “How was that?” he asked.  
  
Her smile widened. “That was good, Daddy. Thank you. See you in the morning. Love you.”  
  
“Love you, Baby.” He gave her one more hug, then stood and turned out the light in her room. He pulled her door mostly closed, and headed back to his own room, where Jim was awake and waiting for him, lounging on the bed and idly flipping through television channels.  
  
“Hey…I thought you were down for the count,” Leonard said.  
  
“Nah, just a power nap. Now I’ve got my second wind. You think she’ll sleep?” Jim asked.  
  
Leonard nodded. “Yeah. She was relaxed and tired.” He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, then took a moment to put a few items of newly-washed and folded clothing away. Glancing at Jim, he filled him in on what he and Jo had talked about. “She asked me to pray for God to help her tomorrow.”  
  
Jim’s eyebrows rose. In all the years they’d been together, he and Jo had shared a faith that Leonard did not. Jim found it incredibly moving that Bones allowed him to have this with his daughter, given that he didn’t share in that belief. Jim thought that Bones had softened a little to it over the years, making concessions like going to church on Christmas and Easter, and letting Jo be part of a youth group at the church Jim’s family was a part of. But Jim was the one to do bedtime prayers with Jo. Bones had never done that.  
  
“What did you say?” he asked.  
  
“I made it clear that while I didn’t believe in it, I’d do it for her. Just in case.”  
  
“You’re a good dad,” Jim said.  
  
“So are you.”  
  
Jim smiled at that. He loved it every time Bones said something like that to him. It just meant a lot, especially since he still sometimes struggled with feeling confident in that role since he’d missed having a good example of that in his own childhood.  
  
Leonard dropped his and Jim’s clothes in the hamper and then joined Jim, climbing into bed with him. Laying on their sides, face to face, Jim took Leonard’s hands and laced their fingers together, mindful of the injury. Leonard looked into Jim’s eyes, loving the happiness he saw in that incredible blue, and smiled. They kissed softly and Jim sighed happily. “I’ve wanted to do that since Jo came in to read us a bedtime story.”  
  
“Mmm…me too, Darlin’.”  
  
“Bones…” Jim whispered, eyes sparkling. “We got the house!”  
  
Leonard grinned. “Yes we did. We need to talk about it, though. Run through the numbers one more time, and I just want to mmphh….”  
  
Jim kissed him, cutting him off. When he pulled back, he had to smile at the bemused expression on Bones’ face. He reached up to gently run his fingers through his hair.  
  
“I know we do,” Jim said. “This is a huge financial and family commitment for both of us, and something I’ve never done before. But Bones…I’m not scared of it. I  _want_ to do this with you. And yeah, we need to be careful, make sure we have all our ducks in a row, and go over everything again. I know that. But all that stuff can wait. Tonight, let’s celebrate.”  
  
Leonard felt himself relax, relieved that they were on the same page, and Jim wasn’t completely swept away in the excitement of it all.  
  
“That sounds good to me, Darlin’,” he said. He kissed Jim’s knuckles, eyes smiling as he looked up at him through his lashes. “What kind of celebratin’ did you have in mind?”  
  
Jim chuckled and moved closer to him, slipping a leg between Bones’. Leonard wrapped an arm around Jim, holding him tenderly as they kissed, losing their breath to passion. Leonard threaded his fingers through Jim’s hair, stroking and gently pulling. Jim reacted to that soothing touch, closing his eyes and tipping his head back, lips parted as he caught his breath. Leonard kissed down his neck, chuckling as Jim squirmed and gasped, sensitive and ticklish there. His hands rubbed and massaged Leonard’s strong shoulders as they rocked their bodies against each other, teasing each other with gentle friction.  
  
“Oh, Bones…” Jim groaned, nearly overwhelmed with sensation. “Feels so good.”  
  
Leonard kissed his way back up to Jim’s mouth, holding him tightly. “Love you so much, Jim.” Leonard felt a shiver go through him, and knew he was reacting to the words as much as the physical feeling. He pressed his thigh between Jim’s legs, giving him something to thrust himself against, and Leonard gasped as the delicious friction and heat intensified, making their breaths come fast and hard.  
  
“Love you Bones,” Jim said breathlessly. “More than anything. Love you…”  
  
Leonard slipped his hands up Jim’s shirt, pushing it up until Jim took the hint and pulled it over his head, then helped Bones remove his as well, dropping them over the side of the bed. Not satisfied with just that, Jim slid his hands under the waistband of Leonard’s pants, reaching to squeeze his ass and pull him in even closer.  
  
Jim jerked in surprise when Bones closed a hand over his hard cock, breath stuttering in his chest. Eyes squeezed closed, Jim pressed his face to Bones’ bare shoulder, and for a few seconds all he could do was thrust helplessly into Leonard’s grip, panting and shivering. When he felt he was in a little more control, he raised his head, and Leonard caught his lips in a heated kiss, then dropped gentle kisses wherever he could reach, whispering, “Love you…love you…”  
  
Pulling away for a moment, Jim reached for the lube and managed to get some in his hands. He reached around Bones and pressed his fingers between his cheeks, teasing the sensitive skin there, feeling his hole twitch as he rubbed and gently pressed. Bones groaned as Jim eased a finger into him, making him shake as he stroked him inside.  
  
“S-stop,” Jim panted. He resisted the urge to thrust when Bones stopped stroking and just held him loosely. “You’re gonna make me come, and I want to be in you.”  
  
“Yes, Jim, god, please…want you in me…”  
  
Jim let his fingers slip from Leonard’s body, and they got rid of the rest of their clothes, letting them lay skin to skin, and they lost themselves in sensation, sharing their love and celebrating their life together late into the night.  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
It was a pretty gray day, chilly and wet. It wasn’t raining now, though it was so muggy it might as well have been. Traffic was pretty heavy, and the drive to the University School had taken a little longer than they’d anticipated.  
  
Jo was nervous. Her stomach was rumbling uncomfortably and she’d barely been able to eat anything this morning. She’d been trying to read, but she couldn’t concentrate, and it didn’t seem to be helping her stomach anyway.  
  
Dad and Oide were talking quietly in the front seat about something having to do with the house, and though that conversation would have normally been interesting to her, she was too wrapped up in thoughts of what this interview was going to be like.  
  
Dad had said not to think of it as an interview. She was just going to meet with Mr. DeSalle and talk about why she’d like to go there. And she got it…her dad didn’t want her to be nervous and shy. And though he said that if she didn’t get in it would only be because of how young she was, Jo knew better.  
  
She knew her grades and scores were good, so that probably wouldn’t be a problem. If she didn’t get in, it might be a little bit because of her age, but it would probably mostly be because she wasn’t able to  _act_  old enough, and that was something different.  
  
“…Jo,” Oide said, and catching her name, she blinked and came back to herself.  
  
“Sorry, Oide…what did you say?”  
  
Jim turned to look at her and gave her a smile. “Daydreaming, sweetie? Where’d you go?”  
  
Jo nodded, returning his smile, trying to hide her nerves. “I was in the Tuck family’s forest,” she said, holding up her book.  
  
“We’ll be there in just a few minutes.”  
  
“Okay. Are we late?”  
  
“Nope, we’ll be a little early. We left in plenty of time so we wouldn’t have to rush,” Leonard answered. He wanted to ask how she was doing, but he didn’t want to make her nervous by bringing it up.  
  
Jo looked out the window, swallowing as her heart beat quicker in her chest. Remembering the tricks Oide had taught her, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm herself a little. She ran her father’s words through her mind, telling herself that it wasn’t a big deal.  
  
But it was. She knew it was. And she just really hoped she could show Mr. DeSalle that she could do well there.  
  
A few minutes later they pulled into the guest parking lot of the Progressive Education University School. Jo found it funny that the school’s initials were P.E.U.  
  
“I wonder if this school smells bad,” Jo said absently.  
  
“What?” Jim asked, puzzled at the non-sequitor.  
  
Leonard chuckled, having thought that same thing. “Very funny, Jo.” He looked over at Jim. “The initials of the school,” he explained.  
  
“Ah.” Jim smiled, amused at the both of them. “You two have the same sense of humor.”  
  
They parked and Leonard and Jim exited the car. Jo stayed in the back seat, her heart pounding as she swallowed a couple of times, trying to get some moisture in her suddenly-dry mouth. Meeting Jim’s eyes over the car, Leonard opened the door for her and crouched down so he could see her. Jim came around to their side of the car and leaned against the side panel, giving Leonard’s shoulder a supportive squeeze.  
  
“C’mon Joanna,” he said gently. “All you have to do is be yourself, my smart, friendly, sweetheart. Whatever happens will happen because it’s supposed to, and Oide and I are proud of you no matter what. You ready?”  
  
She took another breath and nodded. “Yeah. I’m ready.”  
  
Together, the three of them headed into the school building. A group of kids were walking by in the hallway, and Jo was struck by how much older they looked than her. The boys looked more like Oide, and less like the kids she was in school with, and the situation she could be putting herself into seemed to really hit home. No wonder Mr. DeSalle wanted to meet her. She was just a kid, and these students were practically adults.  
  
In the school’s office, Leonard let the secretary know who they were, and then took a seat with Jim and Jo in the generic office chairs. Leonard was struck by a sense of déjà vu, remembering that day, years ago now, when he sat in a chair just like this one, waiting to speak with Nyota Uhura about switching Jo’s class because he didn’t think a man should be a kindergarten teacher.  
  
That one thing – a decision about who would be his daughter’s teacher – changed both of their lives.  
  
Jim had always said luck wasn’t what put Jo in his classroom. If it  _was_  by design, he was infinitely grateful for it.  
  
“Drs. McCoy and Kirk, hello. And this must be Joanna.” They all stood as Mr. DeSalle came out to meet them. He shook Leonard’s and Jim’s hands, then looked at Joanna, who stood between them. “Hello Joanna. I’m Mr. DeSalle. I’ve heard a lot about you.”  
  
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you,” Joanna said, shaking his hand. She blushed, but continued, doing her best to maintain eye contact with the administrator. “I’ve read a lot about your school. I think it’s a very good idea.”  
  
“Oh, really?” he asked, eyebrows raising in surprise. “Well, I look forward to hearing your thoughts. If you’ll follow me…Drs. McCoy and Kirk, you’re welcome to come. If you remember, there’s a little waiting area outside me office.”  
  
Letting Jo take the lead, Leonard and Jim walked behind them, listening as Joanna talked about what she’d learned on the school’s website. They exchanged glances and smiled. Living with her every day, they sometimes lost sight of how impressive she was for an eleven year old.  
  
DeSalle ushered Joanna into his office, and she glanced back at them before he closed the door. Jim flashed her a thumb’s up, and Leonard gave her an encouraging smile. They watched through the glass door as she took a seat, her back to them, and DeSalle sat behind his desk, facing her.  
  
Leonard glanced over at Jim when he took his hand, and Jim gave him a small smile. All they could do now was wait.


	12. Part 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim is called for an emergency in the middle of the night. When he gets back, he and Bones have some time together. Later, Jim and Bones go out and run into someone from Jim’s past.

Jim’s phone lit up and rang on the dresser, jarring and bright in the quiet and dark room. Leonard jerked awake and raised his head from the pillow, squinting in the darkness. In front of him, Jim barely stirred, and Leonard gave him a little shake.  
  
“Jim.”  
  
“Mmm.”  
  
“Jim…your phone.”  
  
Blinking awake, Jim moved to get up and Leonard let him go, pulling his arm back from around his waist. It was still dark outside, obviously very early. Leonard rolled over onto his back and squinted at the alarm clock on the bedside table at his side. Not even three a.m. He listened as Jim stumbled to the dresser, but he didn’t make it in time.  
  
Jim looked at the screen. “I don’t recognize the number,” he said, his voice hoarse with sleep. “Maybe it was a misdial?”  
  
Leonard hoped so. Very little good news came at three a.m. “Call it back,” he suggested.  
  
Just as Jim was about to do so, the phone rang in his hand again. Same number. He answered it quickly this time.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
_”Dr. James Kirk?”_  A male voice Jim didn’t recognize.  
  
“Yes. Who is this?”  
  
Leonard sat up and snapped on the bedside lamp, concern furrowing his brow.  
  
_“Dr. Kirk, this is Lt. Jimenez. You know a Ryan Hudson?”_  
  
His heart sinking, Jim moved to sit on the edge of the bed, reflexively leaning into Leonard’s warmth at his back. “Yes. He’s a student I’ve been working with through his school. What’s going on?”  
  
_”Sir, we responded to a call for domestic disturbance, and when we got here, we found he and his sister locked in a bathroom. He’s refusing to come out, but slid your business card under the door and said he wanted to talk to you. We’ve got a CPS rep on the way, and we don’t want to scare the kids by breaking down the door unless absolutely necessary. Can you come out here?”_  
  
“Uh…yes…Are they okay?” Jim asked, standing. He went over the dresser and pulled a drawer open, holding the phone under his chin while grabbing the first items of clothing he laid hands on.  
  
_“He sounds scared, and the little girl was crying, but he says neither of them are hurt. As far as we can tell, the issue was between his aunt and her boyfriend.”_  
  
Given what he knew of the boy’s home life, Jim doubted that. But that was something to sort out when everyone was safe. “Okay…tell him I’m coming.”  
  
_”Do you need the address?”_  
  
“No, I have it.”  
  
_”Bring your credentials. Ask for me – Lt. Jimenez – when you get here.”_  
  
Jim acknowledged that and ended the call, dropping his cellphone on the bed to yank up his jeans.  
  
“What’s going on?” Leonard asked, concern in his voice.  
  
“The police are at Ryan’s house and he’s locked himself and his sister in the bathroom. He won’t open the door for the them.”  
  
“How’d they get your number?”  
  
“My business card. I gave it to him the first time we met, in case he ever wanted to talk, or needed help.”  
  
Leonard threw the blankets back and stood. He pulled on the sweats and t-shirt that had been discarded earlier. “So….what? You’re going to drive there at three in the morning and do what? Why don’t they call CPS?”  
  
“They have, Bones. Ryan’s always been afraid of being separated from his little sister – that’s why he won’t open the door.”  
  
“I still don’t get why you have to go there now. How are you going to keep them together if CPS needs to separate them?” He paused, giving Jim a careful look. “You’re not planning on coming home with a couple more kids, are you? Cause we would need to talk about that.”  
  
Jim smiled slightly at that. “No….I’m not a foster parent, Bones. But I know someone who is.”  
  
“I don’t like it,” Leonard said. He crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Jim pull on socks and sneakers. “I don’t like you driving all the way over there in the middle of the night, walking in to some dangerous situation all by yourself. I wish I could go with you, but Jo…”  
  
Touched, and a little amused, Jim straightened and came over to him, bracketing him with his arms against the dresser. He kissed him, closing his eyes as Bones wound his arms around him.  
  
“I’ll be fine. The police are there…everything is already secured. I just…I have to go, Bones. Ryan doesn’t have anyone. I have to be there for him.”  
  
Leonard sighed, resting his head on Jim’s shoulder for a second. Of course Jim had to go. That was the kind of person he was. That was the person Leonard fell in love with.  
  
“Send me a text when you get there, just so I know,” he said.  
  
Jim gave him a kiss. “I will. I don’t know what’s going to happen today, so I don’t know what time I’ll be home, but I’ll call you.”  
  
“Okay.” Knowing Jim had to go, even though all Leonard wanted to do was crawl back into bed with him, he gave him one more hug. “Do what you have to do, and be careful.”  
  
“I will. You should try to go back to sleep,” Jim said. “It’s too early to be awake.”  
  
“Not likely,” he replied. Leonard followed Jim out to the kitchen and made him a quick cup of coffee in a travel mug while he collected his schoolboard badge, wallet and keys. “Do you remember how to get there?”  
  
“Yeah…and his address is in my phone. I’m fine. Thanks,” he added, taking the travel mug of hot coffee, prepared just the way he liked it. He looked at Leonard for a moment, then reached out to gently smooth down his hair, a small smile on his face. “You’re still wearing your concerned face. I’m a big boy, Bones, and I can take care of myself. Don’t worry.”  
  
Leonard rolled his eyes. “I know. I just…” he shrugged. “I feel protective.”  
  
“And you have no idea how much I love you for that. Okay…I gotta go. I’ll text when I get there, and I’ll call when I know what’s going on.”  
  
Jim took the jacket Bones pulled out of the closet for him and let himself out. Leonard watched until he got into his car, then closed and locked the door behind him. He sighed, looking around the darkened apartment that suddenly seemed so empty. Fairly sure he wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep, and not interested in doing so until he heard from Jim anyway, he retrieved his cell phone from the bedroom, then settled down on the couch and set to finding out what was on t.v. before four in the morning.  
  
Shivering in the car, grateful that Bones almost never let him leave the house without a jacket, Jim sipped the coffee Bones had made for him as he drove to Ryan’s home address. He was worried about the state the children would be in, and what the CPS agent would want to do. But he was also pretty sure that his plan would work. Anna and her husband had already agreed, and he hoped that he could count on his contact to help with the administrative side of things.  
  
What mattered now, though, was making sure that the children were okay. He had no doubt that they would be scared, and Ryan’s automatic defense was combative anger – that’s what had brought him to Jim’s attention in the first place. The fact that Ryan had held on to his card, and used it in this situation, was a good sign. Jim hadn’t been sure he’d been making any real difference to the boy. This seemed to suggest that he had.  
  
Minutes later, he pulled on to Ryan’s street, and it was immediately apparent that something had happened here. Police cars and an ambulance were parked in front of the row house, lights flashing. And because people lived on top of each other, the commotion had of course drawn people outside. Most stayed out of the way, watching warily from across the street, and the police urged others to stay back, setting up a space around the house.  
  
Jim parked a ways down the street and took a second to send Bones a quick text. Once that was done, he exited the car and hurried up the sidewalk. When one of the policemen intercepted him, he showed him his schoolboard badge and asked for Officer Jimenez. He waited for only a couple of minutes before an officer was heading toward him.  
  
“Dr. Kirk?” he asked.  
  
Jim showed him his badge. “Just call me Jim.”  
  
“Follow me,” he said. “Thanks for getting here so fast. Nothing has changed since we spoke. The boy still has the door locked.”  
  
“Is the CPS agent here yet?”  
  
“Uh, yeah. Hopefully he responds better to you than he did to her.”  
  
Jim nodded. “He’s afraid of being separated from his sister…he told me he ran away from a foster home once because they wouldn’t keep them together.”  
  
Jimenez nodded. It sucked, but that was often the case. He’d seen too many sibling groups be separated for foster care. They entered the house, and the first thing that hit Jim was the smell.  
  
“Jesus,” he said, automatically bringing a hand to his face. He looked around, taking in the mess and general dirtiness of the apartment. “What the hell?”  
  
“I know. Apparently they have cats, but can’t be bothered to clean up after them. The only place that doesn’t reek is the kids’ room upstairs, and it’s neat as a pin.”  
  
They climbed the stairs, and Jim glanced into the kids’ bedroom. Jimenez hadn’t been exaggerating at all. In the small room there were two beds, a dresser, some toys, and Ryan’s backpack, and the only indication that anyone used the room were the unmade beds. It also didn’t smell bad up here.  _Ryan probably doesn’t allow the cats in here,_  Jim thought. His heart ached for everything these kids had gone through. Obviously, their home life had been worse, on a much more basic level, than Ryan had ever let on.  
  
He quickly introduced himself to Margaret, the CPS agent. She was an older, heavyset woman with short gray hair, and she did not look happy to be there at that hour.  
  
“Good luck. Maybe you can get something out of him other than, ‘go away and leave us alone’,” she said.  
  
Jim knocked on the door. “Ryan? It’s Mr. Kirk. Can I talk to you?”  
  
“Mr. Kirk…you came!” He sounded surprised. Jim could hear another higher childish voice, but he couldn’t make out any words.  
  
“Of course I came. You did good, giving the police officer my card. Can you let me in? I want to make sure you and your sister are okay.”  
  
On the other side of the door, Ryan held Jodi’s little hand. Once he unlocked the door, he would lose what little control of the situation he had. Jodi’s nose was running, and her face was wet with tears, her breath choppy from crying, and he just didn’t know what to do anymore.  
  
“Ryan,” Mr. Kirk’s voice came from the other side of the door. “I saw your room. I see how well you’ve taken care of Jodi. And all of this sucks, and it’s not fair to either of you. You both deserve better. Let me help you.”  
  
Exhausted, scared, and overwhelmed with the responsibility he felt for his little sister, tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. He reached out to the doorknob, then hesitated.  
  
“Promise me we’re going to stay together,” Ryan said, voice wavering. “I need to stay with Jodi.”  
  
Hearing that, Jodi’s little face scrunched up as she started crying again. “Ryan,” she said through her tears. “Noooo….”  
  
Hearing the little girl cry broke Jim’s heart.  _These poor kids._  “I promise,” he said, ignoring the angry glare from the CPS agent. He turned to the people crowded around them. “Could you all back up a little please? I don’t want them to feel crowded.”  
  
“They’re my responsibility,” the woman said. “I need to be here.”  
  
“And you can be,” Jim said calmly. “Just…over there. For a few minutes. Please.”  
  
Jimenez nodded, doing what Jim asked, and Margaret followed suit, albeit grudgingly.  
  
“Ryan?” Jim said again. “Can you open the door for me?”  
  
Jim waited, practically holding his breath, then he heard the click of the lock and the knob turned. Jim pushed the door open and took in the sight of the two children clinging to each other, the little girl hiding behind her brother, clenching his shirt in her little fists.  
  
“You promised me,” he said, blinking quickly as tears filled his eyes and got caught in his long lashes. “We stay together.”  
  
Jim met his eyes unwaveringly. “I’ll make sure of it.”  
  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hours later, Jim opened the door to their apartment. Jack ran to meet him at the door, and Jim bent to pet him. Purring, he arched into Jim’s touch, then closed his eyes in bliss as he scratched under his chin. Jim spent a few minutes tending to the cat, putting some new food down and refreshing his water dish, then stood and stretched, a yawn escaping.  
  
He was exhausted, and starving, but satisfied with a sense of accomplishment. It had taken most of the day, but the children were safe and secure, with Anna and her husband Rob.  
  
A month ago, when Anna had first mentioned that she and Rob were working on becoming foster parents, he’d spent some time talking with them about his plan for Ryan and his sister. Then, with their permission, he’d reached out to a friend who worked for CPS and put a rush on their paperwork. Since they’d already done the class, the application process and the fingerprinting, all they were really waiting for were the home visits, saftey inspections, and for their background checks to clear. Jim’s friend had helped rush that through the slow-moving process, and they’d been officially accepted as fosters for a week or so.  
  
And not a moment too soon.  
  
Jim still wasn’t sure what would ultimately become of Ryan and Jodi, but for now they were in a safe and loving environment, and neither Anna nor Rob had any misgivings about taking siblings, possibly for an extended time. On the contrary, they’d been so warm and welcoming; making the children feel like it was their privilege to have them in their home. And the fact that Ryan already knew Anna, and associated her with a safe space, was a huge bonus. He was obviously a good kid who’d been in way over his head. Jim had no doubt that they’d thrive with good people to care for them.  
  
So, yeah, he was exhausted and starving, but it had been  _so_  worth it.  
  
The apartment was quiet and dark, and he wasn’t surprised. He’d called Bones earlier, to let him know that he was fine, and that things were moving slowly along, and Bones had mentioned that he and Jo would probably be out with Janie. The chilly, damp morning had developed into a beautiful day, and they very rarely stayed around the apartment on a Saturday when it was nice out. It was about four, and he figured he had a little time before they got home.  
  
After toeing off his sneakers and hanging his jacket, Jim headed in to the kitchen, intent on finding something to eat. Opening the fridge, a huge smile lit up his face. There, on the center of the top shelf, was a plate with a big turkey sandwich, a side of macaroni salad, an unopened snack-size bag of chips, and a can of soda.  
  
“I could not love you any more right now, Bones,” he murmured. He pulled the plate, chips and can of soda out of the fridge, and smiled when he saw the note tucked under the sandwich.  
  
_I hope everything worked out today. I’m taking the girls to see_  Cinderella  _(you owe me – big time), then dropping them at your brother’s. Now go eat and rest before you collapse. See you later. Love you._  
  
Jim laughed quietly to himself, and carried his meal to the bedroom. He was relieved to be able to take a quick shower. He’d felt as if the stench from that house had clung to him all day. He made himself comfortable, choosing old, soft pajama pants and a t-shirt, turned on the tv, and sighed happily at the first bite of the sandwich. It was perfect, made just the way he liked it. The only way this could be better was if Bones was there. But…the fact that he managed to get out of taking the girls to see the live-action remake of  _Cinderella_  was a pretty close second.  
  
Jim flipped through the t.v. channels until he found something interesting to watch, then settled back and worked on finishing the food Bones had prepared for him. When he was finished he set the plate aside and slumped down in the bed, drawing the pillow that Bones usually used to him. He left the t.v. on to play quietly, and the cool room was slowly darkening as the sun started to come down. Full and drowsy, Jim was tired from the very early start to a very draining day. The last thing he registered before dropping off into sleep was the arrival of Jack as he circled a few times before tucking himself down in the crook of Jim’s knees.  
  
He was still sleeping when Leonard got home about an hour later. He was relieved to see Jim’s car there, and he hurried inside. Unsurprised to find the house quiet, he quickly checked the fridge and was happy to see the meal that he’d left for him was gone. Jim usually had a big appetite, but when he was busy or preoccupied doing something, he’d go for hours without eating and then load up on quick snacks that helped boost his energy for a little while, but then he’d crash and feel sick. Leonard had no doubt the food he’d left for him was the only thing he’d eaten this whole, long day.  
  
Moving through the quiet and darkening apartment, he turned on a couple of lights. As he headed down the hallway, he could see the light from the tv and hear something Jim had on playing lowly. He stopped in the doorway and just took in the sight of Jim lying in the bed, one pillow under his head, the other – his – held under an arm to his chest, with Jack pressed up against the back of his legs.  
  
Stepping quietly into the room, he pulled off his shoes, and undressed down to his undershirt and boxers, then climbed into the bed behind Jim, who inhaled deeply and smiled as he felt Leonard’s arm come around him. Jack woke and gave him a one-eyed glare before standing and abandoning his spot.  
  
“Hey,” Jim said sleepily, eyes still closed.  
  
“Hey, yourself. I’m glad you’re home,” Leonard said quietly. He kissed Jim’s neck, and he snuggled back further into the warmth of Leonard’s embrace.  
  
“Mmm…me too,” Jim murmured. Content to rest and lay there holding him, Leonard listened to his breath even out as he skimmed the surface of sleep again.  
  
After another little while, Jim stirred, rousing Leonard from the light doze he’d relaxed into. This time, Jim woke all the way and didn’t feel the pull of tiredness. He yawned and stretched his body, arching his back against Bones’ solid presence behind him. He blinked, the dark of the room, alleviated only by the t.v. and dim light from the open door disorienting. He had no idea what time it was.  
  
“Are you awake, Bones?” he whispered.  
  
“Yes, just resting,” he replied. Jim moved to turn over, and Leonard released his hold on him so he could. Leonard smiled as he settled on his other side, their eyes meeting.  
  
“Hi,” Jim said. He leaned in to kiss Bones, sliding a hand down to his hip and squeezing possessively. “Thanks for the sandwich.” Leonard smiled, searching Jim’s eyes, not seeing anything that would indicate things didn’t go the way he’d hoped today.  
  
“I figured you’d be starvin’. Everything okay with the kids?” he asked.  
  
Jim smiled and nodded. “I was…it was delicious. And yeah, things are worked out for now. My scheming paid off. Their aunt and her boyfriend were both arrested, and it was so bad there Bones. They’re probably going to level child neglect charges on them too. Ryan and Jodi did go in to foster care, but they went to a great couple – Anna, the librarian, and her husband. I’ve talked about them before.” Leonard nodded, indicating that he remembered, and Jim continued. “And they get to stay together. And, even better, Ryan already knew Anna from his school.”  
  
“That’s good, Jim.” He took Jim’s hand between them, fingers automatically going to the silver bracelet, a match to the one he wore. “You helped to save those kids from even more trauma. You’re amazing. Are you going to be able to stay in contact with Ryan?”  
  
Jim’s smile dimmed a little. “Consistent one-on-one work really isn’t my job description. I’m sure I’ll see him every now and then.”  
  
Leonard nodded, and wondered if that would be enough for Jim…if he’d ever decide that one-on-one work with kids was more his thing. That would be a major career change, and a big risk…it was always risky switching to the private sector and hanging your own shingle, so to speak.  
  
_One thing at a time,_  Leonard thought. They still had a house to deal with.  
  
“Well, they’re lucky kids,” Leonard said. “And, seeing that Anna’s a friend of yours, I don’t see any reason why we couldn’t invite them all over for dinner some time.”  
  
Jim smiled, the very thought that had weighed on his mind – losing touch with them – alleviated by that simple suggestion. He’d spent so much time focused on this issue and doing everything he could to make sure that when the bottom fell out – as it did today – the kids would have somewhere to go, he’d fallen behind on some of his other duties, and he knew there were well over a hundred emails that were awaiting his attention. He didn’t even want to touch his office phone. It was going to take a while to catch up, and he couldn’t keep justifying visits to Ryan’s school to keep tabs on him.  
  
“You always know what to say to me,” Jim said. “How do you do that?”  
  
Leonard smiled and pulled him closer, kissing him gently. “I’ve had a lot of practice figurin’ you out, Darlin’. I know how you think. Behind that big brain of yours, you’re all heart.” His tone was light and gently teasing, but his words were sincere. It was one of the things he loved about Jim…how much he cared about others, and how genuine that care was.  
  
Jim flushed lightly, eyes smiling. “You saying I’m a softie?”  
  
“Yup,” Leonard replied with a straight face. Jim laughed, and kissed him again.  
  
“If I’m a softie, then you’re the one with the ooey-gooey center. Don’t think I don’t notice how all the children in this family have you wrapped around their little fingers.”  
  
Leonard smiled and shrugged, conceding the point. True enough. He did love his nieces, and he’d walk over hot coals for his daughter.  
  
“Hey, speaking of that, have you heard from Sam and Aurelan?”  
  
“I haven’t heard from them since we parted ways on Friday. They’ll get a call Monday with the results, and I’m sure they’ll call us then,” Leonard said.  
  
Friday had been a hectic day. Jo had missed part of her school day because of her interview at the Progressive Education University School in the morning. Once they’d dropped her off at McKinley, they’d gone in to Estelle’s office to start the process of buying the house. By the time they were done with that, it was time for Aurelan’s appointment, so Leonard dropped Jim off at home so he could have his car to get Jo and be with her the rest of the day, and Leonard drove to the hospital. He’d wanted to be there to walk them in, because as unfair as it was, family members of doctors usually enjoyed some perks, and he wanted to do everything he could for them.  
  
There were few things more stressful than having to submit to a somewhat invasive test performed by people you didn’t know, in an unfamiliar hospital office, to determine the health of your unborn infant. Aurelan had been a teary ball of nerves when they arrived, but the fact that Leonard met them there and walked them in, waiting with them and spending a couple of minutes talking with the tech, who he’d happened to share a lunch table with a couple of times, made a world of difference to them.  
  
“Sam told me how much it helped having you there,” Jim said. “Thanks for doing that. God, I hope everything’s okay with the little guy.”  
  
“Me too, Darlin’, me too.”  
  
They lapsed into silence for a few minutes, just cuddling together as they listened to the news on the television. They were both still a little too tired to do much of anything else, and Leonard was getting hungry, but he was content to lay there with Jim.  
  
“How was the movie?” Jim asked. Leonard huffed a laugh.  
  
“If you ever doubt how much I love you, remind yourself I gave up some time in my life to spare you,” he said, and Jim grinned. “The girls enjoyed it, though. So…worth it, I suppose.”  
  
“Did Jo say anything else about her interview?”  
  
“No…I asked about it once, but she just said what she already had…that it went fine, she liked the two other teachers she met, and she thought she did a good job.”  
  
Jim frowned slightly. That seemed like a pretty evasive answer to him. Especially for Jo. She was usually pretty open with them. But, that was her story, and she was sticking to it. Before they’d left the school on Friday, DeSalle had indicated that they’d let them know by mid-week. So now, it was just a waiting game. And though they didn’t have to wait long, it was hard. Because if this didn’t work out, they had to figure something else out for her. And soon.  
  
“Maybe this is her way of trying not to get her hopes up,” Jim suggested. “What time is it?”  
  
Leonard picked his head up to peer over Jim’s body. “Only about seven.”  
  
“Hm…feels so much later than that. We should get up...” He paused when Leonard’s stomach gave a growl. “Have you eaten anything?” Jim asked.  
  
“I had lunch with the girls,” Leonard replied. “I could eat again.”  
  
“Let’s go out,” Jim said, pushing himself up. He looked down at Leonard, and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “Get some dinner and maybe do some furniture shopping.”  
  
“You want to go out?” Leonard asked, surprised. “You were sound asleep ten minutes ago.”  
  
“Nah, it was longer than that, Bones. I’ve got a second wind. C’mon, let’s go. Unless…if you’re too tired, I’ll make dinner for you here, and you can rest.”  
  
Leonard smiled and stretched. “No…that actually sounds like a good idea.” He sat up and rubbed his eyes. “We haven’t been out – just the two of us – in a while.”  
  
Both feeling much more refreshed and awake after having rested, they got up and turned on the lights, then spent a couple of minutes getting ready.  
  
“What?” Jim asked, noticing that Leonard was staring at him as he pulled on his jeans.  
  
“Nothin’. Just admiring the view,” he said with a wink.  
  
Smiling, Jim made a show of pulling his sweater up to expose the flat of his stomach. “I’ll let you admire more than the view when we get home,” he promised, wearing his best  _come hither_  look.  
  
“You keep talkin’ like that, and we’ll skip goin’ out and just get to that part now.”  
  
Jim chuckled, and together they headed out. Leonard drove, and they settled on La Bamba – a Mexican restaurant they both liked.  
  
Remembering their compromise, Leonard glanced at Jim. “I might order a beer with dinner,” he said. “No liquor, though. That okay?”  
  
“Yeah, that’s fine. I probably will too,” Jim replied. “Suddenly tacos and beer sound delicious.” He was quiet for a moment, feeling a little embarrassed that what Bones did just now was something he needed. But, it made a huge difference to him, and he was surprised how much. “Um…thanks. For remembering to say something,” Jim said.  
  
Stopped at a light, Leonard looked over at him and took his hand. “No reason to thank me, Jim. This is something you need. I get that. You dealt with everything  _I_ needed for a long time. You still do, sometimes. We said we’d talk about drinking beforehand, so we did. That’s all.”  
  
And this was why Jim was so sure about everything. He’d never had anyone in his life who loved him and cared about him so completely like this. That Bones loved him so freely and so unconditionally that he’d not only make such a change, but remember and then actually do it, even though he probably thought it was a little ridiculous, was just…amazing. And he felt the same way. And given all of that, buying a house seemed like nothing.  
  
The restaurant was crowded, but they’d expected that. It was one of those places with excellent, cheap food, two-for-one happy hours and live music. The dining areas were full, but Jim spotted two seats at the bar, and Leonard agreed.  
  
They placed their food and drink orders, and munched on tortilla chips and salsa. The bar was next to the dance floor, and they turned in their seats to watch. The music was fast and loud, and there were some excellent dancers on the floor, both straight and a couple of gay couples. Jim leaned close to Bones, his mouth near his ear.  
  
“Dance with me?” Jim asked.  
  
Leonard took a sip of his beer and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I’d do anything for you, but that’s pushing it,” he said, and Jim laughed. They watched a few more minutes, commenting on the dancers that caught their attention, then Leonard excused himself to use the restroom before their food came.  
  
While he was gone, the food arrived and Jim ordered them each an iced tea. As he was putting together his first taco, he heard his name.  
  
“Jimmy? Oh my god, it is you!”  
  
Jim stopped himself from cringing as he recognized the voice. He turned to the man who’d wedged himself in between his stool and Bones’ empty seat.  
  
“Gary, hey. Long time, man. How’ve you been?” Jim asked, a polite smile on his face. “Didn't you move back east? New Hampshire, right?”  
  
“Connecticut. Yeah, I did, for a while. But it’s just so…boring there. Not the place for me. So I’m back. How about you? You’re looking good,” he said, eyeing Jim up and down.  
  
“I’m doing great, thanks. I met someone…he’s actually in the restroom,” Jim replied, indicating the food that was waiting for Leonard’s return.  
  
“You and this guy…you serious?” He moved closer, dropping an arm around the back of Jim’s chair and bringing his mouth closer to his ear. “Cause you’re still hot as hell. We could see if there’s still…an attraction.”  
  
Leonard paused on the other side of the dance floor, watching as another guy insinuate himself into Jim’s personal space as he  leaned toward him to say something. He was younger, in excellent physical shape, and wearing a black t-shirt at least a size too small with jeans that looked like he’d painted them on. But then he saw Jim slide out of his seat and put some space between the two of them, his expression annoyed, and not welcoming at all, and Leonard was ashamed to admit the feeling of relief that flooded him. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Jim. It was just that he was still surprised that Jim always chose  _him_.  
  
He hurried back to the bar, coming up behind Jim and wrapping an arm around his waist. Jim glanced at him gratefully as Leonard nodded a hello with a bland smile.  
  
“Bones, this is Gary. He and I were friends years ago,” Jim said.  
  
“Friends?” Gary echoed, amused. “Is that what we’re calling it?”  
  
“Hi Gary. Name’s actually Leonard. This is the only one who calls me Bones,” he said, tilting his head towards Jim. He held out his hand to shake, but Gary crossed his arms, eyeing him.  
  
“This is your ‘someone’?” he asked Jim. “He looks kinda buttoned up for you. More like a lawyer with a wife.”  
  
Annoyed at Gary’s rudeness, but not surprised by it, Jim rolled his eyes. “C’mon, man.”  
  
“Actually,” Leonard said, ready to be done with him. “I’m a doctor, and I’m divorced. And we were just moving.” He picked up his dinner plate and iced tea, and Jim followed suit. He wasn’t sure where they were moving, but he was happy to do so. “Nice to meet you, Gary.”  
  
“Uh huh,” he said. “Jimmy, I’ve got the same cell number…just in case.”  
  
Jim didn’t even bother with a response. They walked away, and Leonard stopped a server, to ask about a table a busser was just finishing wiping down. The server nodded.  
  
“Over here, Jim,” Leonard said. They sat at the table, choosing to sit on the same side next to each other.  
  
“Sorry about that,” Jim said, uncomfortable with what Leonard had walked in to. “Gary and I were, well, not exactly  _together_ , back when I was in grad school. We worked at the same restaurant.”  
  
Leonard nodded, putting his taco together. “It’s fine, Jim. We both have pasts…you’ve been raising one of the results of my past.”  
  
Jim smiled and finished a bite of his taco. “Gary was always a little bit of a jerk. He wasn’t very… stable…in his personal life. And for a while, we had a thing.”  
  
“And then you grew up. He didn’t, apparently. It happens.”  
  
They finished their tacos and iced tea, then lingered over desert and coffee. And when the music finally slowed, they danced.  
  
.


	13. Part 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Developments in Janie’s family lead to embarrassing conversations for Joanna, and Leonard gets sick, forcing a visit to the E.R.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A third anchor story (novel-length) in TBoPE/LAWG ‘verse. Set five years after the end of Learning As We Go, about four months before “No Good Deed”.

****  
  
Joanna was sitting on the floor in the family room, going through their substantial collection of movies, when the phone rang.  
  
“Jo can you get that?” her father yelled from somewhere else in the apartment. This Saturday they were all going through their things, deciding what to pack and what to either give or throw away. She stood and grabbed the phone by the couch, recognizing the Kirk’s number right away.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
 _“Hey,”_  Janie said.  _“Can I come over?”_  
  
“Well, it’ll be boring. We’re cleaning and packing today.”  
  
 _“Cool, I’ll help. Just get me out of here.”_  
  
“Everything okay?” Jo asked, her brow furrowing in concern. She sat on the edge of the couch and surveyed the rest of what she was asked to do today…all of the movies, all of her books and stuff in her closet, and clothes that no longer fit her. It would definitely go faster with someone to help pack the boxes of things that were going to be either kept or given away.  
  
Janie sighed dramatically on the other end of the line.  _”Kim and the parents are fighting. Can Uncle Jim or Uncle Len come get me?”_  
  
“Your mom or dad can’t bring you?” She knew her dad hated to be interrupted when he was in the middle of something and Oide wasn’t even home from whatever errand he’d left to do.  
  
 _”No…fighting with Kim, remember?”_  
  
“Hold on a sec, let me go ask my dad.” She put the phone down and headed toward the bedrooms. She found her father in his room, with what looked like the entire contents of his closet all over the place. “Dad….Woah,” she said from the doorway as Leonard poked his head out from the walk-in closet. “So much for a little at a time.”  
  
Leonard shrugged. “I was on a roll. What’s up Baby? Who was on the phone?”  
  
“Janie. She wants to come over to help me sort and pack. Can we go get her?”  
  
“Oh, Jo…I’m in the middle of…”  
  
“I know…but her parents are busy with Kim and she’s desperate to get out of the house. Please?”  
  
Leonard cast his gaze around the room and then looked back at Jo who was waiting for his decision with a hopefully expectant look on her face that he was sure she learned directly from Jim.  
  
“Oh, alright. Give me five minutes.”  
  
“Thanks Dad! Love you!”  
  
“Love you, too,” he called as she ran down the hall to tell Janie they’d be there in a few minutes.  
  
Jo hung up with Janie and went to pull on her sneakers, leaving the stacks of movies on the floor. “Don’t go knocking things over,” she warned Jack, who’d been lazing about on the couch. He eyed her with the kitty equivalent of disdain and flicked his tail, which Jo was pretty sure meant,  _No matter what you say, human, I will do what I want._  
  
“Ready, Jo?” her dad asked, coming into the room with his keys in hands. His eyes took in the state of the family room. “Are those all ours?”  
  
“Yup,” Jo answered. “Most of them were in the tv thing, some were in a box in my closet, and some were on the bookshelves in the other room.”  
  
“Wow…well, it’s good we’re going through everything. Let’s get going. I want to get back and finish up so Jim and I can actually sleep in that room tonight.”  
  
Leonard winced as he settled in the car, a twinge of sharp pain in his abdomen surprising him. The pain faded quickly, and when Joanna tuned to a station playing a song he knew, he started singing along, glancing out of the corner of his eye at his daughter. She rolled her eyes and suppressed a smile, so Leonard sang louder.  
  
“But I keep cruisin’, can’t stop, won’t stop moving. It’s like I got this music in my mind, saying it’s gonna be alright….Cause the players gonna play, play, play. And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate. Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake! Shake it off, shake it off!”  
  
Finally Joanna laughed. “Dad, you know every single word! Do you have her cd or something?”  
  
Leonard snorted. “Don’t need it. That song is on the radio a minimum of 20 times a day.”  
  
A few minutes later they pulled up to the Kirk household to find Janie sitting on the front steps, a backpack at her feet. Seeing them, she jumped up and opened the front door, noting that the yelling had at least stopped, though she could hear her mother in the kitchen blowing her nose and her dad still talking. “Guys Uncle Len is here! Bye!”  
  
Just as she was about to close the door, her mom called her. Rolling her eyes, she turned and gave Jo a “one second” sign. Aurelan came up behind her. “Yeah, Mom?”  
  
“Where are you going?” she asked. She peered over her daughter, saw Leonard’s car in the driveway and waved.  
  
Janie sighed hugely. “I said I was going to Jo’s. Maybe you didn’t hear me over all yelling.”  
  
Aurelan waved to them, then turned back to her daughter. “I’m sorry, sweetie.” She hugged her younger daughter awkwardly, her hugely pregnant belly in the way. “Go ahead. Have fun and tell everyone I said hi. We’ll talk later. Are you sleeping over?”  
  
“Maybe. I’m bringing my stuff, just in case.” She pulled away from her mother, then hesitated. Crouching down a little, she put her hands on both sides of her mother’s belly and spoke near it. “I know it’s still a little early, but no coming when I’m not here. You listen to your big sister and stay in there till I get home.”  
  
Straightening, she gave her mother another hug. “Love you, bye!”  
  
In the car, Leonard watched the Janie and her mom interact, smiling a little when she bent to talk to her little brother. “Everything okay here?” he asked Jo, sensing that something was up.  
  
“Janie said Kim and their parents were fighting. She didn’t say why.”  
  
Janie pulled open the back door, tossed her backpack in and slid into the seat. “Hey Jo. Hey Uncle Len. Thanks for coming to get me. I had to get out of there.”  
  
“We’ll see if you still feel that way after you’ve helped me go through all my stuff and pack,” Jo said.  
  
Leonard glanced at the blond in the rearview mirror as he backed out of the driveway and negotiated the streets of the neighborhood.  
  
“Everything okay at home?” he asked.  
  
“Yeah, I guess. Dad found birth control pills in Kim’s drawer and freaked out. Kim freaked out because Dad was in her drawers, but he was just putting away clothes. Mom freaked out because Kim didn’t tell her she was having sex and of course she started crying, because everything makes her cry right now…and I just had to get out of there.”  
  
 _Well that’s disturbing,_  Leonard thought. He glanced at his daughter who was red-faced and didn’t seem to know what to say. She was staring straight out of the windshield, and wouldn’t even glance at her father.  
  
“Personally, I don’t see what the big deal is,” Janie continued. “I mean, she is almost seventeen. You’re a doctor, Uncle Len. Better safe than sorry, right?”  
  
Completely thrown by the casual way Janie was talking about this – such a stark contrast to Jo, who seemed tongue-tied, sitting in embarrassed silence – Leonard carefully weighed his words. He knew that Aurelan and Sam were pretty progressive when it came to raising their girls, and he couldn’t believe that they hadn’t addressed this very thing – or held particularly conservative views when it came to sex. However, he also knew that a lot of what you may believe for yourself went right out the window when faced with what you want for your children’s lives.  
  
“Yes,” he answered. “Always better safe than sorry. But I think unless a person is prepared to deal with the consequences of doing something, they shouldn’t do it. That’s the only 100% guaranteed way to make sure you don’t end up with something you don’t want.”  
  
“Like a baby,” Janie said.  
  
Leonard glanced at Jo again, who still looked red in the face. He wished she felt more comfortable talking about this with him. Obviously Janie had no such hang-ups, though she was never really embarrassed by anything and didn’t have much of a filter. A Kirk trademark, apparently.  
  
 _In for a penny…_  Leonard thought. “Right…but there’s no birth control pill that can protect you against catching a disease. A condom is the only thing that can do that, and that’s not 100% effective all the time. Nothing is.”  
  
“That’s what mom was the most upset about, I think. ‘Safe doesn’t just mean “not pregnant” Kim,’” she said, doing a fair impression of her mother.  
  
Leonard was sure she was concerned about Kim’s safety, but he was also sure that she was just as upset that her daughter hadn’t come to her and instead gone behind their back, as he was sure Kim did. He certainly would be. But he didn’t say anything. Not his place.  
  
“Is Jo sleeping?” Janie asked after a few minutes.  
  
“No, I’m awake,” she said, turning to look at her through the seats.  
  
“Geez, you were so quiet, I couldn’t tell,” Janie gently teased.  
  
Jo smiled, and just shrugged, turning back around in her seat. At the girls’ request, they stopped at a fast food place to grab some lunch, and by the time they got home, Jim’s car was there.  
  
“Dad, we’re going to eat by the pool,” Jo said. “And we’ll get started when we’re done.”  
  
“Okay, Jo. Make sure you guys clean up after yourselves. Janie, I’ll bring in your backpack.”  
  
“We will, Dad.”  
  
“Thanks, Uncle Len.”  
  
Leonard brought his own lunch and what he’d gotten for Jim into the house and the girls headed to the pool area.  
  
“So…I feel like I should apologize,” Janie said as they settled at a picnic table.  
  
“What? Why?” Jo asked, looking up in surprise.  
  
“Well…when I was talking about Kim in the car you got so quiet. Should I have not talked about it in front of your dad?”  
  
Joanna hesitated for a second, laying her food out on a napkin. The question surprised her. She loved Janie, but she didn’t often think about the effect her words had. She’d hurt Jo’s feelings more than once with an incautiously phrased or flippant remark. She’d never really meant anything by it…and Jo was aware she was maybe a little too sensitive about some things…but she also didn’t often apologize.  
  
“It’s just…you seemed really embarrassed. Does…did your dad or Jim not talk to you about sex stuff?” Janie asked as Jo let the silence continue. “Have you got your period yet?”  
  
Joanna blushed, keeping her eyes on her food. “Yeah, I have. And…we’ve talked about things,” Jo said. “Dad had some books and stuff, and I looked some things up on my own.”  
  
Janie munched on her fries as she eyed the girl she’d come to think of as her cousin. She knew Jo was incredibly smart – much smarter than she was for sure. But there were some things that she just seemed so  _young_  about. They were in middle school, for Pete’s sake, and she knew Jo was in class with older kids. Janie was willing to bet most of the girls Jo went to school with already had boyfriends.  
  
“You didn’t say anything wrong in the car, Janie. I just…don’t talk to my dad about stuff like that.”  
  
“What about Uncle Jim?” Janie asked. She’d always found him really easy to talk to. “Can you ask him questions?”  
  
“No!” Joanna exclaimed. For some reason that seemed worse. “No…I don’t really ask questions.”  
  
Janie couldn’t imagine not having her sister and mom to talk to about stuff. It didn’t seem fair, and she felt bad for Jo, and she said so.  
  
“Well, that sucks. What if you need to know something? I know you can Google it or whatever, but it’s not fair that you don’t have someone to talk to. You can always talk to me, and I’m volunteering Kimmie, too. You can talk to her. She can be a pain, but she always answers my questions.”  
  
Joanna rolled her eyes and smiled. She appreciated that, but she didn’t think she’d ever take her up on it. They ate in silence for a few minutes, then Jo looked up at Janie.  
  
“Did Kim really have…um…”  
  
“Have sex?” Janie filled in for her. “You can say it, you know.” Janie shrugged. “Who knows. She didn’t deny it, but she didn’t admit to it either. It’s not that big a deal. Most people do it…including my parents, obviously, and your dad and Uncle Jim. What do you think they’re doing in their room at night? Just sleeping?”  
  
Joanna was happy to drop the subject at that. Actually she  _didn’t_  really know what her dad and Uncle Jim did in there, and she was perfectly fine with that.  
  
Back in the apartment, Leonard and Jim were sitting at the kitchen table. Jim was enthusiastically attacking his chicken sandwich as Leonard recapped the conversation in they’d had in the car.  
  
“Sam must’ve hit the roof,” Jim said drily.  
  
“Yeah, I gathered they weren’t particularly thrilled.”  
  
Jim chuckled, picturing the scene in the car. “Poor Jo,” he said. “I’m glad she and Janie are still such good friends, but they really could not be more different. She must’ve wanted to sink into her seat.”  
  
Leonard sighed, pushing his uneaten food away. “Yeah, she was pretty embarrassed. Are we screwing up, Jim? I feel like both Aurelan  _and_  Sam are so open with their kids about...well…everything. And I know Jo is surrounded by older kids all the time, and kids are exposed to so much and just seem to grow up so fast now. I can just imagine what she’s hearing them talk about.”  
  
Surprised at his doubt, Jim was quick to reassure. “No, Bones…not at all. It’s normal for her to be uncomfortable talking to us about this. And it’s very different at Sam’s house,” Jim said. He paused, not wanting to make Bones feel inadequate, but the simple fact was, a woman made a big difference. Aurelan was pregnant, Janie had an older sister…their approach to parenting came from two different perspectives, and that mattered.  
  
Jim didn’t have to continue – Leonard was acutely aware of how their families differed.  
  
“Look,” Jim said, reading the discontent in his expression. “No family is perfect. Sam and Aurelan aren’t perfect. They do things we don’t agree with, and we do things they don’t agree with. Neither of us are necessarily right or wrong. At the end of the day, the only things a parent can do for their kid is do their best to instill their values, teach them to be good people, and love them. We’re doing all of that, and it’s working. Jo is an awesome kid.”  
  
Leonard smiled. She really was. “I just worry about her.”  
  
Jim reached across the table to push Bones’ bangs off his forehead with a gentle touch. “I know. Goes with the territory. C’mon…eat. We need to clean up the mess that local tornado caused in our room.”  
  
“I’m not hungry,” Leonard said, wrapping his sandwich back up.  
  
“You haven’t eaten anything today, and barely had any dinner last night. How are you not hungry? Are you sick?”  
  
He shrugged. “My stomach’s been bothering me a little. I’m fine.”  
  
Jim let it go, but made a note to make sure he ate some dinner. Leonard left to go back to working on the mess he’d created in their bedroom, with Jim’s promise that he’d be right there. The girls came back into the house just as he was cleaning up the remains of their meal.  
  
“Hi girls.”  
  
“Hi Oide.”  
  
“Hi, Uncle Jim,” Janie said. She gave her uncle a hug. “Uncle Len rescued me from the drama. Did he tell you?”  
  
Jim glanced at Jo as she threw their trash away then hurried out of the kitchen. Apparently she’d had enough embarrassment for today.  
  
“Yeah, he did,” Jim said. “What do you think of everything?”  
  
Janie shrugged. “Whatever. I think everyone is overreacting.”  
  
Jim smiled. That was very typical of her. “How’s your mom?”  
  
“Crying all the time – over everything. But things’ll go back to normal soon enough.”  
  
Not having the heart to tell her how unlikely that really was, Jim just nodded.  
  
“Okay – I’m gonna go help Jo. Think I can sleep over tonight?”  
  
“I don’t see why not. “  
  
The rest of the afternoon was spent sorting, packing, taping, and stacking. Quickly enough, with everyone’s help they’d managed to sort through quite a lot of stuff, and they now had a whole lot of things set aside to give away, and the packing of the bedrooms and family room was started.  
  
They weren’t under a tight timeline – they had the better part of the month in the apartment before they had to be out – but they were all eager to move into their first home.  
  
A quick call to the Kirks assured Jim and Leonard that it would be okay for Janie to stay over, and Jim stayed on the phone with his brother for a while, just letting him talk. Mostly he was frustrated and concerned that Kim went behind their backs.  _We’ve always told her – since she started dating – that if she felt like she wanted to go on birth control or anything like that we’d support her. I just don’t get the lying._  Jim understood, but at the end of the day, Kim had taken steps to protect herself because of what she’d learned from them, and he said as much to his brother. He wasn’t sure if it helped, but a different perspective sometimes did.  
  
When he hung up, he headed into the kitchen to see if he could help with dinner to find Leonard sitting at the kitchen table, hunched over a little.  
  
“Bones!” he exclaimed. He put a hand on Bones’ shoulder and crouched down next to him. “What’s the matter? Your stomach?”  
  
“Yeah…I think I may be coming down with something,” he said.  
  
Jim pressed his lips together in concern. Bones was pale, lines of discomfort around his eyes.  
  
“Do you feel like you’re gonna throw up?”  
  
“No…but I feel like I’d feel better if I did,” he replied.  
  
“Okay…you need to go to bed.” He stood. “C’mon…do you want some ginger ale?” Jim asked as he urged him to stand with a hand on his elbow.  
  
“I’m fine, Jim…I just need to rest a second.” And he noticed the resting seemed to be working. The sharp pain he’d felt in his gut was fading.  
  
Jim frowned, clearly unhappy with Leonard’s insistence that he was “fine”. “You don’t look fine to me,” he said. Jim tenderly carded his hands through Leonard’s hair, resting his hand on his forehead. “You feel a little warm,” he murmured.  
  
Leonard smiled, resting his head against Jim’s chest as he held him in a gentle hug. “Wasn’t aware you finished your m.d.,” he teased.  
  
Jim chuckled. “I think raising a child makes me qualified to diagnose a fever by touch. How about some Tylenol and Pepto Bismol? And let’s just order in. Do you feel like eating anything in particular?” Jim went to the cabinet to pull the medicines down, and got Bones a glass of water.  
  
“Not really,” he said, accepting the tablets and glass. “You guys get what you want.”  
  
“What are you going to have?” Jim asked. He pulled open the drawer with the take-out menus. “Girls, come decide what you want for dinner!” he called.  
  
“Be right there!” Jo yelled back.  
  
“I don’t really want anything. I feel worse after I eat.”  
  
“You should have  _something_. You haven’t eaten since yesterday. How about some soup?” Jim offered. “We still have that chicken soup in the freezer. I could reheat it and maybe add some egg noodles.”  
  
Not really wanting it, but knowing how much Jim wanted to do something to help him, Leonard agreed.  
  
The girls decided on Chinese, and when the food arrived everyone settled in the family room to watch a few recorded episodes of a singing show the girls liked and have dinner. Jim watched as Leonard moved carefully, as if he was trying not to aggravate pain, and his concern for him grew. If he wasn’t better by tomorrow, Jim was going to insist he go to the doctor. He didn’t have to have an m.d. to know that hurting too much to eat for more than two days was indication that something was wrong.  
  
Jim handed him his bowl of soup, then took a seat next to him with a plate of food. Leonard stirred the soup and, aware that Jim was watching him, ate a few spoonfulls. It was good…the addition of the egg noodles was a good idea…but he just didn’t feel like eating.  
  
He managed to finish about half the bowl before giving up. “Do you want anything else?” Jim asked. “Some tea, maybe?”  
  
Leonard shook his head. “No thanks.”  
  
Jo paused the show, and Jim and the girls spent a few minutes cleaning up and putting away the leftovers, and Leonard decided to go to bed.  
  
“You okay, Dad?” Jo asked, giving him a hug.  
  
“Yeah, I think I might be comin’ down with something, but I’m fine. Good job on everything you two managed to finish today. Don’t stay up too late, okay?”  
  
“We won’t. I hope you feel better, Daddy,” Jo said, concern in her voice.  
  
“I will, Baby. It’s no big deal.”  
  
Leonard and Jim left the girls to finish their movie and headed to the bedroom. The pain in Leonard’s gut was a constant ache now, and even the act of pulling his shirt over his head and bending to remove his pants made it worse. Feeling chilled, he lay down on his side, knees tucked up a little, and sighed as Jim covered him.  
  
Jim had watched Leonard undress, and his concern was mounting. “Bones…what if it’s appendicitis? Should we go to the hospital?”  
  
Leonard shook his head. “Wrong side of the body,” he said.  
  
He sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked Leonard’s hair, the touch soothing. “So you hurt more on the left? Is that unusual?”  
  
Knowing that Jim would always project his own fear of medical issues and treatments onto him, Leonard reached for his hand and did his best to sound as sincere as he could.  
  
“I really don’t think it’s anything serious, but I promise you, if I don’t feel any better by tomorrow – or if I feel worse – I won’t even wait for Monday. We’ll just go to my hospital tomorrow and I’ll have someone there check me out. Okay?”  
  
Jim pressed his lips together and gave him a tight smile. “I’m overreacting, aren’t I?” he asked.  
  
“Maybe a little,” Leonard replied.  
  
“Okay…” He leaned down to give him a kiss, then stood, pulling the blanket up around Leonard a little more snugly. “If you’re sure you’re okay, I’ll go back out there to check on the girls and maybe get a little more packing done in the kitchen.”  
  
“Darlin’, I’m sure I’m okay. Go on.”  
  
With that assurance, Jim turned off the lights in the room, left the door open slightly, and headed back into the main part of the apartment. Jo and Janie were sprawled out on the couch, and Jim was happy to see that their dishes were already washed and put away.  
  
“Is Dad okay?” Jo asked.  
  
Jim sighed as he stretched. “Yeah…he’s just not feeling well. He’ll be fine,” he replied – saying so for himself as much as for Jo.  
  
“I don’t like it when you guys are sick,” she said.  
  
Jim sat next to her and gave her a hug. “Me either, kiddo.”  
  
Later that night, after Jo and Janie had retired to Jo’s room – he could still hear them talking and giggling – Jim did the final check of the apartment, turning on the alarm, turning off the lights, making sure the windows were locked – everything Leonard usually did before going to bed.  
  
On the way to his room he stopped and opened the door to Jo’s room after a perfunctory knock – and Janie quickly closed a laptop. Jim’s expression morphed into suspicion.  
  
“What’re you doing?” he asked.  
  
“Nothing,” Janie replied. “We were just going to play a game.”  
  
Jim eyed Joanna, who was blushing and hadn’t really looked at him.  
  
“Uh huh,” he said, making it plain he wasn’t falling for it. Stepping more fully into the room, he surveyed the boxes that were labeled and stacked all over the place. “You guys did all of this today?” he asked.  
  
“Yes…Janie was a huge help. I sorted and she packed,” Jo said, the flush fading. She made herself meet Jim’s eyes. “Those boxes over there are all of things to give away. Some books and toys and clothes.”  
  
“That’s great, Jo.” He leaned down to hug her, and dropped a kiss on her head. “Thanks for being such a big help, Janie.” He gave her a hug, too.  
  
“No problem. I’m always happy to help,” she said with a smile.  
  
“Okay, I’m going to turn in. Everything’s locked up. You guys don’t stay up too late, and keep it down. Goodnight.”  
  
“Goodnight Oide.”  
  
“’Night Uncle Jim.”  
  
Jim pulled the door closed and padded to his room. The room lit only by a light left on low in the bathroom, he crossed to the bed. Bones was sleeping, but it wasn’t a restful sleep. He constantly shifted, his brow furrowed, obviously in pain. Jim’s heart broke…he hated to see Bones feeling so bad. Jim reached out to touch him, and he was surprised at how warm he was. Just as he was debating if he should wake him to take some more Tylenol or Pepto, he woke on his own.  
  
Pressing his face to the pillow, Leonard groaned.  
  
“Bones…I hate to see you like this. It’s obviously worse…tell me what I can do,” Jim said, moving onto the bed with him. Bones shifted to rest his head in Jim’s lap, wrapping an arm around his waist. Jim moved his fingers through Bones’ hair, and massaged his head, neck and shoulders.  
  
Leonard tried to focus. The pain was worse, and though he’d tried to throw up a couple of times, all he’d managed to do was gag. There was nothing to throw up. He was starting to suspect something in particular, and if he was right, it had the potential to get bad quickly. It was time do something – and not freak Jim out in the process.  
  
“I think I need to go to the hospital,” he said.  
  
Jim’s eyes widened. “Really? I – I mean, yes…if you’re hurting and you think so, you definitely should. Do you want…should I call an ambulance?” he asked, standing and reaching for the phone, his heart already knocking against his chest.  
  
“No…Jim.” He sat up painfully, and waited for the pain to abate a little before letting out a careful breath and looking up at him. “Listen…I don’t need an ambulance – unless you don’t feel like you can take me.”  
  
Jim licked his lips. It was a fair question, he supposed. It wasn’t just taking Bones…it was also staying calm, and being the one to comfort instead of the one comforted. That might seem like a small thing, but Bones was right to check with him. For Jim, it was a little more complicated.  
  
“I can take you,” he said. “Let me call Sam and go talk to the girls. Here’s your clothes.”  
  
“Thanks,” Leonard said. “Send Jo in here, would you? I don’t want her to be scared. And can you make sure we take my wallet and hospital ID card.”  
  
“Yes,” Jim said, plucking those items off the bureau. “I’ll be right back.”  
  
A few minutes later, Jim helped Leonard into the car. Moving was painful, and he broke out in a cold sweat, shivering in cool, damp night.  
  
“Jo, go get me the throw blanket off the couch,” Jim said over his shoulder.  
  
“Okay.” She ran back into the apartment and grabbed it, then hurried to hand it to Jim.  
  
“Thanks, Jo,” Jim said. He tucked the blanket around Leonard, his hands shaking. Leonard saw that, and reached for him, grasping one of his hands tightly, and Jim got it.  _Calm down._  Jim straightened and let out a deep breath. He turned to Janie and Jo, who both looked so worried. Especially Jo.  
  
“Okay, guys. Sam’ll be here in a few minutes. Are you ready to go, Jo?”  
  
She nodded as her eyes teared up. “No, no…it’s okay,” Jim said, drawing her into his arms. “You dad is going to be fine. You know how cautious he is, and he didn’t even think an ambulance was necessary. He’ll be fine. Okay?”  
  
“Okay,” Jo said. She pulled away and wiped her eyes. Moving around Jim, she leaned into the car to give her dad a kiss. “Call me, Daddy.”  
  
“I will Baby. And we’re just going as a precaution. I’ll be fine,” he said sincerely. “I just want to make sure that whatever’s making me feel sick is caught early. We have a lot to do this month. Make sure you lock up and set the alarm when you leave with Sam, okay?”  
  
“I will, Daddy. Feel better.” She gave him another hug, then headed back into the apartment with Janie to wait for Sam to get there. Bones didn’t want to leave Jo and Janie alone, and Sam hadn’t wanted to be away from Aurelan, so bringing the girls back to their home was the only other option.  
  
On their way to the hospital, Jim kept glancing over at Bones. He had his eyes closed, head back against the headrest, and though he looked like he was resting, Jim could see that he was gritting his teeth.  
  
“Jim,” he said suddenly. “I have to tell you something.”  
  
“What is it?” Jim asked. He was trying to tamp down his nerves and ignore his own rolling stomach – just stress reactions from being in this situation, he knew, but completely unpleasant nonetheless.  
  
“They’re probably going to want to do a digital rectal exam on me, just as part of the exam, when we get there. I…I haven’t let anyone but you touch me there since I was attacked.”  
  
Jim glanced over at him, and reached to take his hand, holding him firmly. “What do you want me to do?” he asked. “Want me to tell them to skip that part?”  
  
Leonard seriously considered it for a second. And he knew he could count on Jim going to bat for him if he needed him to. But, he thought he had an idea of what was wrong, and he was in enough pain that he wanted to make sure the diagnosis was made quickly so he could get some relief.  
  
“No…I just…wanted you to know.”  
  
“Okay, Bones. Will they let me stay with you?”  
  
“They will if I tell them to,” he said. He groaned as they hit a bump. “Fuck. This sucks.”  
  
“We’re almost there. Where do you want me to go?”  
  
“Emergency Entrance.”  
  
“Okay,” Jim said quietly, swallowing down his own feelings of trepidation. He had to be the strong one this time. “Nearly there.”


	14. Part 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bones needs Jim to help him through the exam to figure out what’s wrong, and Jim struggles to keep his own fear in check. Eventually he realizes that focusing on his family helps to keep him calm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A third anchor story (novel-length) in TBoPE/LAWG ‘verse. Set five years after the end of “Learning As We Go,” about four months before “No Good Deed”. So sorry for the long wait between parts. Life got busy.

Jim was so concerned about Bones that the initial rush of cold air, carrying that plastic hospital smell, hardly phased him at all. In the past, that alone was enough to send him into a tailspin of panic. Bones leaned heavily on Jim, the pain in his gut making it hard to stand upright. At the Emergency Room reception, Jim showed Leonard’s hospital badge, and they were quickly and quietly ushered into the back and into an exam bay. Jim was exceedingly grateful for that extra consideration.  
  
A nurse helped Jim maneuver Leonard onto the bed and change into a hospital gown, and a PA came in right away.  
  
“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, Dr. McCoy,” she said. “We’ll get you fixed up as soon as we can. Can you tell me what’s going on?”  
  
Leonard spent a few minutes answering questions about what he was experiencing, while Jim stood nearby, nervously chewing at a nail. He felt jumpy and nervous, his heart beating faster than normal in his chest. As he listened to Leonard and the PA, and watched with wide eyes as his vitals were taken, blood drawn, and an IV started, Jim tried to run through some of the exercises that Chris Pike had taught him, keeping the panic under control and at bay. He could feel it though…like looking over the edge of an immense height…one move in the wrong direction and he’d fall over that edge.  
  
When the PA was done collecting information, Jim moved back to Leonard’s side, taking his hand and gently wiping the sweat from his forehead, his hands shaking. And even though Leonard felt like shit and was still in pain, he noticed.  
  
“Hey,” he said, reaching for and squeezing his hand. “You okay?”  
  
Embarrassed that Bones felt he had to worry about him even now, Jim took a breath and put a small smile on his face. “I’m fine. How’re you?”  
  
Bones held his gaze for a moment, before closing his eyes and putting his head back down. “I feel like crap. And I’m glad you’re here.”  
  
Hating to see Bones still in so much distress, Jim asked, “Can he get some pain relief? He’s been hurting for hours.”  
  
“Yes, we’ll make you more comfortable, Dr. McCoy. We just need the doctor to look at you first.”  
  
“Not some first year resident,” Jim said, echoing Leonard’s unspoken preference.  
  
“No…I called the attending. He’ll be right over. Just try to relax.” She looked at Jim, and pushed a rolling stool towards him. “Why don’t you take a seat. You look a little pale. Do you feel sick too?”  
  
“Jim…can you get me a blanket? These damn hospital gowns don’t cover enough,” Leonard said, wanting to distract him.  
  
“Sure…one sec.”  
  
He left Bones and stepped out of the little room they’d been assigned. Jim pulled a blanket off of a rack he’d seen on the way in and brought it back in. When he returned, the PA excused herself, promising they’d be right with them, and left their little area.  
  
“Thanks,” Bones said as Jim unfolded the blanket over him and tucked it around his feet and up to his chest. “That’s a lot better.”  
  
“No problem,” he murmured. He sat down next to Bones, watching him deal with feeling so sick and hurting so much. This – watching helplessly like this – was even worse than being a patient.  
  
Bones couldn’t get comfortable, the pain in his gut making him want to curl up. And all Jim could do was be there and hold him and card his fingers through his hair, and though Jim felt like none of it was enough, Leonard appreciated every single gesture of care Jim made. Just when Jim’s patience was at its end and he was two seconds from stepping out of the room to find the doctor, the door opened and a doctor came in, followed by the PA who’d been with them before.  
  
“Hi there…I’m Dr. Soretz,” he said without looking up from the chart he was reading. “And you are..oh…” He raised his eyes from the paperwork and looked at the patient for the first time.  
  
“Phil,” Leonard said, recognizing the doctor from a professional workshop for dealing with neurological issues in the E.R. he’d presented a couple of weeks ago. “Not doing too well here.”  
  
“I heard. So sorry you’re not feeling well.” He handed the chart to the PA and reached for a pair of gloves. His eyes landed on Jim.  
  
“Sir, if you could step out so I can examine--”  
  
“This is my partner Jim…he can stay,” Leonard said.  
  
Phil raised his eyebrows, for the first time noticing their linked hands. “Your partner? Don’t you have a little girl?”  
  
Annoyed, Jim rolled his eyes and snapped, “Sick man on the table. Can you get on with it please?”  
  
“Right…sorry. Just took me by surprise.”  
  
Phil was, to Jim’s relief, efficient and professional as he examined Bones, pressing on his abdomen to see where exactly the tenderness was and how severe, and apologizing when he hurt him.  
  
“Okay, if you can pull your underwear down and roll on your side, knees tucked up a bit – I need to just check for internal tenderness.”  
  
Phil turned to the cabinet to get some medical grade lubricant and change his gloves, so he didn’t notice when his patient lost all of the color in his face.  
  
Leonard knew this was coming, but that knowledge did nothing to mitigate the dread he felt in the pit of his stomach. His whole body tensed, and Jim could easily see his distress, and he squeezed his hand.  
  
“Bones,” he said quietly, leaning down to him and holding his gaze. “I can tell him to move on.”  
  
“There a problem?” Phil asked. He stood, waiting to perform the exam. “Would you like some additional privacy? This will only take a second, if you’d like Jim to step out.”  
  
“No,” Leonard said quickly. “He stays. But…”  
  
Flushing uncomfortably, Leonard found Jim’s eyes, and he got it. Bones needed some time.  
  
“Actually, Doctor…could you step out for a minute?” Jim asked. He saw the annoyance flicker across the doctor’s face, and Jim got it. He was in the middle of an exam. But that didn’t change anything. “Please…just a minute.”  
  
“Fine,” he said, snapping off his gloves. “I’ll go put in an order for some pain relief, and I’ll be right back. Okay?”  
  
Leonard nodded, “Thanks,” he said as Phil left the room. The PA hesitated for a minute, then followed him out. Leonard relaxed slightly, and closed his eyes in relief. He felt Jim encircle him with an arm and he held on, taking comfort from that contact.  
  
“Be right back,” Jim said after a moment. He had an idea of what might help a little. He stepped just outside the room and grabbed another three or four of those hospital blankets. Coming back to Leonard’s side, he waited as he worked his underwear down to his knees and then turned on his side. Jim piled blankets on him, hoping that their presence would make him feel less exposed.  
  
Leonard clutched the pillow he was laying on, and stared at the wall of cabinets across from him. “I don’t know if I can do this,” he said quietly. Jim finished draping him with blankets and came back around, taking a seat on the stool and leaning down to meet his eyes.  
  
“I think you can,” he said. He gently wiped Leonard’s forehead with the back of his hand, then tenderly pushed his fingers through his thick hair, pushing it off of his forehead. “I think you can, and I’ll be right here. But if you decide to skip this part, that’s fine too.”  
  
Leonard let out a long, shuddering breath. “I feel so bad right now,” he admitted. “This is the last thing I want to deal with.”  
  
“Oh, I know, my poor Bones. I’m so sorry you feel like this.”  
  
“Okay, we ready?” Phil asked as he came back into the room followed by the PA.  
  
Bones’ grip on Jim tightened, and he made himself answer. “Yes.”  
  
Phil noticed the extra blankets, and could see the way Leonard was gripping the other man, and he wondered at that. It was…unusual…for another doctor to find a simple DRE so distressing. He donned another pair of gloves and the P.A. squeezed a measure of lube onto his fingers.  
  
“Okay, so, I’m just going to gently insert my finger into your anus and push. Normally this is painless. If you feel any discomfort, let me know. Now, just take a deep breath, relax your muscles, and push out like you’re having a bowel movement.”  
  
Tense, Leonard jumped when he felt the doctor’s fingers against him, and he couldn’t relax, his body clenching in response. “Come on, relax for me…this should be easy for you.”  
  
Jim’s gaze, which had been focused on Bones’ face, snapped to the doctor, and Soretz could easily see the anger there. Jim just shook his head.  _Un-fucking-believable!_  
  
Phil realized right away that he’d been completely inappropriate. “I – I mean, you being a doctor and all,” he stammered, backpedaling.  
  
Holding on to Jim, breathing and trying to make himself relax, Leonard really didn’t register any of it. Rolling his eyes, Jim leaned down and encircled Bones in his arms.  
  
“It’s okay, Bones…just breathe and hold on to me,” he said quietly. “You’re doing so good…just let yourself be loose, and it’ll be done in a second.”  
  
Listening to Jim, clutching his arms and pressing his face against him, he managed to relax enough that Phil was able to complete the exam. The sense of relief he felt when it was over took his breath away, and he was covered in sweat and felt a little shaky. It was a minute before he could get hold of himself enough to let Jim go.  
  
Phil handed Leonard some paper towels removed his gloves. He turned his back to give the patient some privacy to clean himself off and rearrange his clothes. There was no additional pain or discomfort, and he didn’t feel anything abnormal. He was starting to get an idea of what it could be.  
  
“So,” he said. “I think it might be…”  
  
“Diverticulitis,” Leonard said through gritted teeth as he struggled to pull his underwear back up under the blankets.  
  
“Yup.” Soretz confirmed.  
  
“Runs in my family.”  
  
“I saw that in your history,” Phil said. “So you know the concern is a perforation, so we’ll admit you and run some additional tests. Personally I don’t think you’re perfed – your temp’s not high enough for that. More than likely, you’ll just need a course of IV antibiotics to clear it up.”  
  
“What’s diverticulitis?” Jim asked, concern heavy in his voice. “It’s not serious is it?”  
  
“Pockets in the intestines get infected and that inflammation causes some intense pain, and it’s often worse after you eat. It can be serious, but I don’t think it will be for Leonard. He was smart and didn’t wait long to come in. I’m going to admit you, and someone will come down for you for some additional testing right away, and we’ll start you on some pain relief now, too.”  
  
Jim looked at Leonard in concern as the doctor left. He’d been in pain for at least a whole day, and felt sick for at least two. How much worse could this condition get?  
  
Leonard read Jim’s expression and squeezed the hand that he was still holding. “I’ll be fine, Jim. Really. I hurt and I feel like crap, but diverticulitis is common and not all that big a deal. Ma had a couple of flare-ups, and so have her sister and Katie.”  
  
Leonard finally got some pain relief that seemed to help – or at least make him drowsy – right away. They only had to wait in the E.R. bay a few more minutes before Leonard was admitted, and an orderly dressed in blue scrubs came to get him, pushing his bed out of the room and into the hospital for a CT scan for a more definitive diagnosis while they waited for the blood tests to come back.  
  
“Sir, you can wait in the family area,” he said, as Jim followed them out.  
  
“I’ll be fine, Jim. Don’t worry about me,” Leonard said. He was trying to focus, knew Jim would be worried if not downright panicked as he was left behind. But he was tired, and in pain, and the meds he’d been given were starting to make everything fuzzy.  
  
“Wait!” Jim said, clutching Leonard’s clothes. “What…”  
  
“Sir, you can go to the family waiting room, if you want,” one of the nurses said. “He’s going for a CT, and when he’s done you can meet him in his room.” She stood in front of him, blocking him from following Bones through a “Restricted Access” door. Jim looked over her shoulder, simultaneously feeling a confusing mix of panicky and relieved that Bones was being taken care of, and stupid at how nervous he was, all at the same time. In the end, though, panic won.  
  
It was getting harder to breathe, and he was overcome by a sense of dread that crashed over him like a wave on the shore. His mouth went completely dry and his heart pounded so hard he could feel it in his throat. His knees felt like water, and suddenly he was sure he was never going to see Bones again.  
  
“Sir, are you all right?”  
  
The nurse’s voice seemed a mile away, and the edges of Jim’s vision started to get a little fuzzy as his carefully constructed wall crumbled. Tears filled his eyes as his heart hammered in his chest. Gasping, starting to shake, he ignored everyone and everything, turned on his heel and bolted – desperate to be outside so he could breathe.  
  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
In Janie’s dark and quiet room, Joanna turned over again and sighed. She’d slept on the trundle bed so many times over the last five years, but tonight sleep was just not coming. She was too worried and too restless. She turned again, flipping her pillow over to the cool side. All she could see when she closed her eyes was her father’s pained expression and the fear on Oide’s face.  
  
Finally giving up, Joanna threw the blanket off of her, and in the dim ambient light from outside the window, Jo stood up from the trundle bed that had been “hers” since she was a little girl and that first sleepover. She carefully made her way to her backpack and quietly pulled out the book she was reading. She slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. Tiptoeing down the darkened hall, she was as familiar with this house as she was with her own, and had no trouble navigating the stairs.  
  
In the family room Jo snapped on an end table light and curled up in the corner of the couch. She tried to read, but she found that she couldn’t concentrate on the story. She sighed and let the book rest against her chest…and the next thing she knew, her eyes were welling with tears. She blinked and they fell down her cheeks to darken in round spots on the pages of her book.  
  
Feeling small and alone, and scared in a way that she didn’t really understand but couldn’t shake, Jo curled up in the corner of the sofa and cried as quietly as she could.  
  
Upstairs, Aurelan was prodding Sam. “Come down with me,” she said.  
  
Sam rolled over and gave his wife a kiss. “You’re the one who wants ice cream. Why do I have to get up?”  
  
Aurelan pushed herself up, and stood, the sight of her huge belly making Sam smile. “You have to get up,” Aurelan said, “because you are a smart enough man to know what’s good for you.”  
  
Sam chuckled and sat up. “Well, you’re right about that. C’mon love.”  
  
They headed out of their room and Sam turned the hallway light on. He didn’t want his wife negotiating the stairs in the dark.  
  
“Did you leave a light on?” Aurelan asked, noticing light coming from the family room.  
  
“No…”  
  
“Oh, it’s Jo…Jo, honey?”  
  
Joanna wiped her eyes and kept her face averted, embarrassed at being caught like this.  
  
“I’m sorry….I just couldn’t sleep…”  
  
Aurelan squeezed Sam’s hand, and he headed to the kitchen, knowing that Jo was more comfortable with his wife. She sat on the couch next to her.  
  
“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m sorry you’re so upset. Come here.” She put her arm around her and Jo leaned into her, embarrassed but needing the comfort. Aurelan held her, resting her cheek on her head. “Just let it out, Jo. You worried about your dad?”  
  
“Y-yeah,” she admitted. She took the tissues that Aurelan pulled from the box on the side table and wiped her face and nose. “It’s just…I know I have Oide and you guys, but m-my dad is the only one I have…and I don’t know what’s wrong…and…”  
  
Aurelan’s heart went out to her. As smart as she was, it was easy to forget that she was also just a little girl. And all she knew was her father was sick enough to go to the hospital. It was no wonder that she was upset. “Oh, I know, honey. I understand. And you know what? I’m sure Jim hasn’t called because he’s still just with your dad and he hasn’t had a chance. So we’re going to give him a call and see what’s up. Okay?”  
  
Joanna nodded. “Okay,” she said.  
  
Sam, who’d been listening, had already dialed his brother’s cell and was waiting for him to pick up.  
  
Jim was leaning against a wall outside the hospital, his legs shaking and still trying to breathe without gasping when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and fumbled it, wincing as it fell to the sidewalk, still ringing. Bending to pick it up, he glanced at the screen. Sam. He’d call him back.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Jim let it out slowly and tried to get his heart to stop pounding. He kept going in circles in his head, trapped in the panicky thoughts of needing Bones, only to land right back on what had him so panicked in the first place – Bones couldn’t help him now.  
  
His phone buzzed in his hand, indicating a text message. Wiping his eyes, he looked at the screen.  
  
 _Jo’s upset and wants to know what’s going on. Call please._  
  
Surprised to see how late it was, Jim felt like kicking himself. They’d both promised they would call to let her know what was up, and he’d been so wrapped up in himself that he’d forgotten. He had to pull himself together, and he found that focusing on what Jo needed helped. Waiting until he was sure his voice was steady, he called his brother’s phone back.  
  
“Hey Sam. Sorry…I don’t get good reception in the hospital. Is she okay?”  
  
 _”She was pretty upset, but she’s calmed down now. I know she’ll feel better once she hears from you. How’s Len?”_  
  
“They think it’s diverticulitis – an infection in his small intestine. They were taking him for a CT.”  
  
 _”Wow, is that serious?”_  
  
Jim sighed. “Apparently it can be, but Bones said his mom and other relatives have had it, and as long as it’s caught early – and it was – it’s not that big a deal.”  
  
 _”Okay, well, are you okay? You sound a little…”_  
  
“I’m fine, just tired. And…a little worried,” he admitted. “But no one here is acting like there’s anything to really be worried about.”  
  
 _ _”Well, I’m sure everything will be fine, but I totally get it. I won’t keep you…I’m sure you want to get back to him…so let me get you Jo.”__  
  
Jim could hear Sam talking in the background as the phone was passed to another person, then:  _ _”Oide?”__  
  
“Hey, Jo…I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier sweetie…”  
  
Jim spent the next few minutes reassuring Jo, explaining what was wrong and that it was easy to fix, and he found the more he helped her calm down, the more calm he felt.  
  
 _”Can I talk to him?” Jo asked._  
  
Jim hesitated, remembering that the pain medication he’d been given worked quickly and made him tired. “Well, he may already be sleeping, but…I can maybe take a picture to show you he’s doing fine. Would that be okay?”  
  
 _”Yeah. I’ll wait for you,” Jo said._  
  
“Okay, sweetie. I’m outside, so it’ll be a few minutes. Love you.”  
  
 _”Love you too, Oide. Bye.”_  
  
They hung up and Jim took another deep breath that shuddered a little in his chest. Now that the panic attack was over, he felt embarrassed by his reaction, which he knew was completely over the top. It was humiliating that this was still a problem for him, and he was glad that Bones hadn’t seen it. He was the one who was supposed to be comforting and helpful right now, and here he was, cowering outside.  
  
But he felt in control now, and he had promise to fulfill for Jo.  
  
He re-entered the hospital, and headed back to the E.R. He had no idea where Bones was right now. Hoping to avoid the nurse who’d witnessed him spiraling into a panic attack, he went to the far end of the nurses’ station and spoke quietly with one of the women sitting at the computer there.  
  
Moments later, armed with the room number Bones would be in if the CT was complete, he followed the directions she’d given him and took the elevator to the proper floor. It was relatively quiet this time of night, visiting hours long over. Jim was permitted to stay because of Leonard’s position as a staff physician. They’d made sure of that right away.  
  
Jim found Bones’ assigned room. The door was open, and he could hear quiet voices coming from inside.  
  
“You must be Jim…he’s been asking for you,” the nurse said.  
  
“Jim…you stayed,” Leonard said quietly, forcing his eyes open. Jim went to his side, taking his hand and looking him over.  
  
“Of course I stayed. Have you been here long?”  
  
“Nope, we just got here,” the nurse replied for him. “I’m Susannah, and I’ll be his nurse tonight. Are you staying here Jim? I can call for a cot.”  
  
“Uh, yeah…that’d be great, thank you.”  
  
“No problem. Dr. McCoy is on some pretty potent medication, so he should sleep soundly tonight. Water pitcher is full – pillows and an extra blanket are in the closet. I’ll be in a couple of times tonight to check on him, but I’ll be as quiet as possible. Use the call button if you need anything.”  
  
She left and Jim turned his attention back to Bones. “How are you?” he whispered, leaning down to brush his lips against him softly.  
  
“I feel better…really tired. Should have all the test results back tomorrow, but I think I’ll be able to go home after the antibiotics. Talk to Jo?”  
  
Jim hesitated, wondering how much to say. Bones was barely hanging on to consciousness, and he was slurring his words – obviously an effect of the pain meds. In the end, Jim decided that there was no reason to say anything to upset or worry him.  
  
“Yes, she’s fine,” he said, opting for a half-truth. “You just relax and sleep.” Jim said quietly. He turned off the light over Bones’ bed and gently drew his fingers through his hair. He did look better…not as pale, relaxed, the lines of pain that had decorated his face earlier gone.  
  
“Don’ hafta stay, Jim,” Leonard murmured, nearly asleep.  
  
“Oh, shush. Of course I’m gonna stay,” Jim replied.  
  
“Mm…good.”  
  
Leonard didn’t say anything else, and his breathing evened out and got deeper. Quietly, Jim pulled out his phone and took a quick picture. He studied it for a moment. Bones looked completely relaxed and sound asleep, as if nothing was wrong.  
  
 _Jo, your dad is doing fine. He’s got the medicine he needs and feels much more comfortable and is sleeping easily. We’ll give you a call tomorrow. Love you, sweetie._  
  
He sent the picture and message to her, and a few seconds later his phone buzzed with a response.  
  
 _Thank you Oide. Talk to you tomorrow. Give Daddy a kiss for me and tell him I love him. Love you too._  
  
Jim hoped that Jo would settle and be able to sleep now, and he felt the guilty pull of a parent who was torn about leaving his child, knowing she’d been upset. But he also trusted his brother and sister-in-law to be able to help her if she needed any more comforting…and he was honest enough to admit that staying with Bones was a selfish thing, too.  
  
The cot was brought in for him, and he spent a few minutes arranging blankets and stripping down to his boxers and t-shirt. He was exhausted, and though the cot didn’t look all that comfortable, he was pretty sure he would be able to fall asleep easily.  
  
“Hey.”  
  
Jim turned to Bones, surprised to hear him.  
  
“Hey,” he said, dropping the blanket and coming back around to him. “You okay? Do you need anything?”  
  
Bones looked over at the cot, then up at Jim. “You weren’t really planning on sleeping down there, were you?”  
  
Jim smiled slightly, smoothing his hair down with little strokes. “Well, you were sound asleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”  
  
“You didn’t. I have to use the bathroom. Can you…?”  
  
“Yeah, one sec.”  
  
Jim helped him maneuver around the room with the IV pole and he waited while Bones relieved himself then washed his hands. When he was finished, they made their way back to the bed. Bones got in first and Jim helped him arrange everything – blankets, IV tubes, bed controllers – and then he lay down too. Bones turned on his side into Jim, resting his head on Jim’s chest. Jim pulled the blanket over them both, then wrapped an arm around Bones’ shoulders, holding him tenderly.  
  
“Much better,” Bones sighed.  
  
Silently, Jim agreed.


End file.
